Rough
by NormanReedusLover
Summary: He was bruised and scarred; she was curious. Who was this man they called 'Dixon? Sometimes, people meet once and for no reason at all. Other times, the purpose has just yet to be found out. It can be an easy passing, or it could get rough. AU Daryl/Beth BETHYL/DETH -COMPLETE-
1. My name is Daryl

**Hello everyone! This is my second Bethyl fic, I just adore them as a couple. This is a VERY AU fix from the Walking Dead, but it will have the same characters, and the somewhat same personalities. I just wanted to come up with something different than the same zombie killing stories! But anyways, please favorite, review, and follow. I would love to hear everyone's feedback :) Happy reading!**

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The car sputtered and Beth's tired eyes went wide. Not only was she unbelievably lost in the middle of the night, but her vehicle was not offering any sort of condolence.

She glared at her failed GPS and rolled her eyes at the lack of sensical directions it was producing. She shouldn't have even been out that night. She had been coerced by her graduate school advisor to go to a party full of attendees that Beth would have typically avoided like the plague in her spare time. Instead she was forced to be among them on a Saturday night, shoulder to shoulder with all of their "pleasant" veneers and tales of their self-important accomplishments and theories. Beth felt like a bull in a China shop. One who could destroy their facade of a good time at any moment.

Connections, that's what Dr. Grimes had encouraged her to make that night. "There are going to be some of the most important minds of modern psychology at that party tonight. Someone might want to take you on for an internship, or perhaps be your mentor." Beth had smiled in agreement and hidden her true reaction, knowing that she did need to establish herself in academia if she wanted to further her own formulations and research.

The whole way to the party, which was located in a massive and over-the-top cabin that was nestled into the wilderness of upstate, Beth had an eery and nervous feeling in her stomach. Not only was she discouraged by the fact that her GPS said it would take her an hour and a half to get there, but she was dreading the character that she would have to take on to impress these people. Beth liked parties, she enjoyed having a good time- but stuffy, arrogant, scotch drinkers were not her preferred brand of company.

She had somehow made it through. Thankfully Dr. Grimes was there to escort Beth through the motions and the greetings, offering her a glass of coke in lieu of the harsh liquors that were present.

After awkward goodbyes and the exchange of a few email addresses with the lesser of the evils there, Beth made her way back into the cool night and toward her car. The area was shrouded in darkness and Beth realized that her stomach still felt odd. She figured that she would feel copious amounts of relief as soon as she stepped out of the front door, but instead all she experienced was the strange and nagging feeling that had been present through the whole night.

She shivered and shook her head, unlocking her car and swiftly climbing in, ready to be back to her apartment. When she started her car it protested a bit. But she wasn't too worried, her car was often a rebel without a cause and very rarely actually delivered on its threats. Switching on her navigation system that had not yet begun to act up, she backed out of the long and gravelly driveway, beginning her escape.

And that is what led Beth to this point. After more than a few wrong turns and shady roads traveled, Beth had turned off her GPS and chucked it into the back seat. She was pretty sure that she could find her way home; she could follow the north star or some shit.

That school of thought seemed to be working until her car began to fail on her, too. She could feel it rutting and jerking, and she knew that she had to get to some sort of civilization before it gave out. If she had known that the earlier protest of her car was a warning, she would have heeded it. That way she wouldn't be where she was; lost and alone in the dark.

She grabbed her phone so she could call her sister, Maggie, and give her a heads up that she might need to come and rescue Beth.

"Oh, great," Beth sighed loudly as she realized that she literally had no bars of service. She quickly checked the backseat for serial killers, feeling like it was too good of a setup for one to resist.

She bit her lip determinedly and began a mantra of encouragement in her head. "Don't die, don't die, don't die." It was meant to be about her car, but Beth knew that it had pertinence to herself as well.

Her SUV jerked uncouthly and Beth hissed and grimaced. If she could just make it a little farther- maybe there would be a service station. She glanced at her clock and the dreaded feeling in her stomach increased. It was past eleven at night, the odds of anything being open at this time were not promising.

Just when she was contemplating the idea of having to sleep in her dead car on the side of the road, there was light! Beth's eyes widened in relief as she spotted what looked like a gas station and possibly a repair shop ahead. Even if they weren't open, at least she would be in a lit parking lot for the night and she could get her car fixed in the morning. The car barely made it into the lot before it let out a pitiful groan and shut off.

Beth gave the dashboard an apologetic pat and scoured the area with her eyes. It was indeed both a gas station and car repair shop. Although she still felt uneasy, she knew that it was a truly lucky happenstance that she had ended up there. She checked to make sure all of her doors and windows were secure, looked at her phone and despairingly saw that it was still serviceless, and then leaned her seat back with a sigh. She finagled her long legs into the most comfortable position she could find and forced her eyes closed. If she could just sleep, the night would be over faster.

A knock and a voice were what roused Beth from her half-asleep state. She blearily glanced at her watch and saw that it was nearly three in the morning. She yawned freely and looked over at her window, doing a double take when she realized that there was a man standing outside of it.

"Oh God." Beth whispered and clutched her startled heart. She squinted her eyes and hoped that the man would go away.

"The hell ya doin' here?" the stranger pressed in a muffled voice.

Beth gulped and opened one eye before sitting her seat back up. "My car broke down, I was just waiting it out until morning when the shop would be open." Beth refused to truly look at the man for fear that he would resemble Freddy Kreuger, and she had to sort of shout through the window to make herself heard. But there was no way that she was going to roll down her window, the ever present feeling inside of her told her not to.

"How did ya find this place?" the man replied in an accusatory voice.

Beth scrunched her eyebrows and looked down at her lap. "I happened upon it. I was lost."

"Ya sure that's how it went?" The stranger's voice was inherently untrusting.

Beth scoffed. "Of course I'm sure! You think I like sleeping in parking lots in the middle of nowhere?" Beth bit back, completely baffled by the man's unwarranted paranoia.

The guy was quiet for a moment and Beth had to check in her peripheral vision to see that he was still there. "We ain't open on Sundays. Tomorrows a Sunday," he finally spoke in a curt reply.

Beth's mouth dropped open in alarm. What the hell was she going to do? She made herself look at the man. If she was going to try to convince him to make a concession, she at least owed him eye contact.

Beth turned her head and was genuinely surprised by what her eyes found. There, standing outside of Beth's window with his arms folded across his chest, was a guy a lot older than her 18 years of age. He was wearing a ripped flannel shirt with a black vest over it, and shaggy, greasy, dark brown hair that almost touched his shoulders. He had olive skin and full lips. His eyes were deep blue and searching, an edge was obvious in his hardened expression. He was definitely rough...but oddly attractive. She realized that there was a massive bruise surrounding the stranger's right eye. It looked fresh, like it had just happened earlier that night.

The man seemed to notice Beth's awareness of his injury because he turned his head slightly so Beth couldn't look at it. Beth swallowed thickly and started to get up the courage to talk, when the man tensed his right hand on his flanneled forearm and Beth saw that his knuckles looked abused. As if he had also inflicted some damage that night. Yeah, Beth definitely wasn't getting out of her car.

The man licked his lips and an unearned glare was directed at Beth. "Look, I don' really know what ta do with ya. This is really inconvenient."

Beth cleared her throat in sudden anger. "You think this isn't inconvenient for me? Look, I'm stranded and I just need a place to sleep for the night. If your shop is closed tomorrow, I'll call a tow truck in the morning." With her closing statement Beth remembered that her phone wasn't working. But whatever, she would deal with that in the light of day when there wasn't some asshole chilling outside of her car.

Knuckles tightened on flannel again and the man ducked and shook his head before looking around. "My bastard ol' man owns this shop an' he insists on it bein' closed on Sundays. He ain't here this weekend, though- so maybe I can look at yer car in the mornin'. I ain't promisin' anythin'. I like ta sleep in and I can't really be bothered to git up when I don't feel like it."

Beth didn't want to cling onto any sort of rescue; this guy wasn't exactly a beacon of hope. But still, it was a better offer than nothing. And so Beth replied with a small and testing smile, "Thanks."

The guy shrugged but looked a little caught off guard by Beth's friendly gesture. "Whatever. I'm goin' ta sleep," he said and then started to walk toward the shop.

Beth raised an eyebrow and found herself opening her door before she could think twice about it. "Hey, wait!" Beth called, standing up and leaning her arm on the top of her door.

The stranger whipped around and looked at Beth oddly. "What?"

"What's your name?" Beth asked dumbly, wishing she had a better question to back up her dramatic exit from the car.

Blue eyes narrowed. "Why does it matter?"

Beth bit her lip. "Maybe I'd feel better about sleeping in a desolate parking lot if I knew the person who owned it by name," she answered, mostly truthfully.

A pink tongue darted out, licking their lips quickly. "It really don' matter. I probably aint goin' ta see ya again."

Beth couldn't help but roll her eyes. She somehow didn't feel threatened by this guy despite his rough appearance. The feeling of unease in her stomach had simply turned to intrigue. She was fascinated by this man, this admittedly attractive man who obviously had some serious trust issues...possibly daddy issues, Beth couldn't be sure just yet. From a psychological standpoint, Beth was enthralled. Her friends always hated it when she would analyze them so she often held back. But hell, this dude wasn't her friend.

"It's just a name. A word that we have assigned a personal meaning to. Like here, I'm Beth. See? That was really easy," Beth smirked slightly, feeling her confidence growing.

"I don' care," the man shrugged and turned back toward the shop.

"Do you live in the repair shop?" Beth tried instead.

"Yeah, I sleep in a fuckin' car pit," sarcasm dripped from the words that were flung over the guy's shoulder.

Beth huffed and actually shut her car door so that she could follow after. She didn't know why she was doing it, it was probably the worst idea she'd had since she thought that it would be cool to collect Furbies back when she was seven. "Is there an apartment on the second floor or something?" Beth asked as she looked around, spotting a really nice SUV that was now residing in the parking lot as well, assuming it belonged to the stranger. "That's a nice car!" Beth pronounced.

"What the fuck? Seriously, why are ya followin'me?"

"Why are you so paranoid?" Beth shot back, not particularly having a response to the man's pondering.

"I don' even know ya. I don' have ta answer your shit questions," the man absolutely scowled.

"Fine, then just answer one. What is your name?" Beth was walking a thin line, she could feel it. Yet, she still wasn't scared.

Beth watched as the man's chest heaved a little in exasperation. "You're really annoyin'."

Beth just shrugged. "I can be. Typically only when people are ignoring my questions though."

A large sigh was followed by a reluctant reply, "If it'll get ya off my fuckin' back, my name is-"

Voices cut off his thought. A couple of persons chattering and approaching. The unease was back in Beth's stomach.

"Shit," the stranger grumbled.

"Who is it?" Beth wrapped her arms around herself.

"You should..." The man glanced at Beth's car and then to the direction that the voices were coming from. "Go inside," he motioned with his head toward the shop door.

"Into your place?" Beth asked in surprise. "I can just get back in my car."

"Get in the fucking shop." The intense look in the man's eye told Beth that she needed to listen. She might have ignored all of the warning signs that she was given that night regarding her car and the party that she attended, but she wasn't going to make that mistake again.

Beth nodded and then slipped into the door that she was directed to. It was mostly dark in the shop and it smelled strongly of oil, but the street lamp outside and the moonlight created a little bit of sight and comfort.

Beth slumped down onto a rugged couch that had obviously seen much better days and glanced out the slightly open window behind it. She could see the man perfectly. Beth watched the reluctant stranger lean against one of the gas pumps near Beth's car and put his hands in his pockets. Beth could only see his profile, but there was an obvious look of trepidation adorning his features, and his stance told that he was deliberately trying to look casual and unassuming.

Beth cocked her head to the side and tried to size up what was going on. She had a bad habit of compiling a list when she first met people. Her impression of them, their characteristics, their possible insecurities. She never shared her list with the person who inspired it, that would be a dick move. She kept her opinions in her head, and only consulted the list when she needed to answer a puzzling question regarding that person.

As she began to make note of the man's mannerisms and reactions to Beth, she ended up just getting lost in the thought of that bruise. What had he done to deserve that? Was he in danger? Was he, much like Beth's car, just a rebel without a cause? Beth was actually very pleased that no one could hear her internal approximations and dialogue; they were quite embarrassing, really.

Her musings were interrupted by someone calling out. Beth's eyes snapped up and fell into focus back on the man, who was now joined by two other guys. She slunk down into the couch a bit more but kept her eyes trained on the sight and her ears open to the conversation that steeped through the cracked window.

"Dixon, man." A tall blonde guy patted the man on the back. Dixon? Beth raised an eyebrow, torn between amusement and captivation.

"Hey, what are ya guys doin' here? It's fuckin' late," Dixon, apparently, replied.

"We heard you made out pretty well tonight, man. Sorry we couldn't be there. Although I can see that asshole got a piece of you, too," the other guy, a stalky brunette, said with a chuckle.

Dixon touched his bruised face and glanced back nervously at the window where Beth was spying. Beth immediately ducked down and smacked her head on the windowsill in the process. "Oww," she groaned, louder than intended. She slapped a hand over her mouth and remained ducked down. This Dixon guy may have thrown her a loop and let her hide out, but Beth still didn't know his intentions, or what the other guys were capable of. They looked like a rough crowd and Beth had essentially no strength to speak of. If she got in a fight, her ass would be kicked. It was inevitable.

She remained hidden but pressed her ear against the cool wall and as close to the window as she could, hoping to be able to hear what was going on so she could determine if she needed to get to safer ground. She could hear them, a little muffled but clear enough.

"Whose car is that?" one of them asked.

"Uh. It's abandoned. I dunno, it was here when I got here," Dixon said quickly.

"Looks like a piece of shit." Laughter rang out and Beth glared into the darkness of the shop.

"Yeah well, I'm gonna sleep. I'm pretty exhausted after tonight." Beth heard Dixon let out a large and fake yawn.

"You don't want to drink a bit? We should fucking celebrate, man," the blonde, Beth was pretty sure, replied.

"No, um..."

"Why do you keep looking at your place?" Beth froze at that question.

"I ain't, I just want to hit the sack. I'm so fuckin' beat," Dixon forced a laugh.

It was silent for a moment and then a chorus of "oohs" sounded. "You've got a hot little slut in there, don't you? That's who that car belongs to?"

Beth couldn't resist popping up a little bit to gauge Dixon's reaction. When she peeked over the ledge of the window, she saw the abused hand running over his hair, obviously deflecting and still trying to remain casual.

To Beth's surprise he answered with, "Yeah and she ain't gonna wait all night. Fuck off, guys."

"Okay, fine," the brunette said and punched Dixon lightly in the arm. "Don't let her keep you up all night, man. Monday night is gonna come around sooner than you think. You need your rest."

Beth scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. Who the hell were these guys and what was going down on Monday night?

"One time with me and she'll be fuckin' exhausted, it ain't a problem," Dixon smirked but his stature was rigid.

Beth rolled her eyes. Even though the guy was clearly lying, Beth greatly disliked arrogance in all the forms that it came in. Hence why she had disliked the party that evening so much. Arrogance abound.

Beth watched as they bid their farewells with cliched fist bumps and manly nods of their heads. When Dixon turned back toward the shop, Beth slumped down again, facing forward and calmly crossing her legs, acting like she had been sitting there like that the whole time. Beth could pretend, too.

The front door squeaked open and Beth looked down at her nails, feeling a little nervous again. A light flipped on and Beth squinted into it, her eyes not nearly adjusted. "Is um...everything okay?" Beth ventured.

"Did ya hear any of that?" was the reply.

"A little," Beth confessed. "I heard them call you Dixon. Kind of a strange name."

"That ain't my real name."

Beth looked up and ignored how nice the man looked in the amber lights. "Why'd they call you that then?"

"None of your fuckin' business," he growled back.

"Okaaaay, I'm just gonna go back to my car now," Beth sighed and stood up, gripping her jacket and pulling it more snugly around herself.

"That's a stupid idea. Those guys could be lurkin', stay here."

Beth stopped and looked at the redneck man with skepticism. "You don't want me here. You won't even tell me your name, so why would I stay?"

"Again with the fuckin' name. Just drop it."

Beth shook her head and walked toward the door. "Good night, whoever you are."

"Seriously, stop." The man walked over and placed himself in front of the door.

"You're blocking me? Move," Beth huffed.

"I'm tellin' ya not to go out there. I don' fuckin' want ya here anymore than ya want ta be here, but I unfortunately cannot block my conscience enough to let ya venture out!"

Beth stared at his deep eyes and at the purpling bruise around one of them. "What happened to your eye?" She blurted out.

"I tripped." Eyes were downcast.

"Into someone's fist?" Beth smirked slightly.

The man just glared and strode off toward a set of stairs. "Do what ya want, then. I'm goin' to bed."

"I'll stay..." Beth stopped him, "if you tell me your name."

"I just told ya that I don' care if ya go!"

"Fine." Beth shrugged and opened the door, starting to walk out to her car.

"Wait," the voice was softer this time, "my name is Daryl."

Beth turned. "All of that ordeal was made over such a little name?"

"Yours ain't much more impressive!" Daryl argued.

"Yeah, but I told you straight off the bat," Beth returned.

"I just...don' like my name very much," Daryl breathed out.

"Would you prefer if I called you Dixon, then?" Beth raised an eyebrow and mentally assumed that perhaps Daryl was named after his father that he didn't seem to be too fond off. Beth had a knack for guessing the root of a person's problems.

Daryl looked at her for a moment, contemplation clear in his eyes. "Ya can call me Daryl, I guess. Ain't like I'm goin' to see ya after tomorrow, anyway."

"Exactly. Alright then, good night Daryl. Thanks for letting me crash." Bet shut and locked the door and then flopped down onto the couch.

"Yeah. I'll uh, see ya in the mornin'. Maybe." Daryl nodded awkwardly and gave Beth another thoughtful look before he ascended the stairs.

Beth laid back and let her gangly legs hang over the armrest of the couch. She slept uneasily that night, dreams of violent fights and bruised perfection consumed her mind.


	2. What the fuck are you doing!

**Thank you guys! I love reading the reviews :) **

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It was uncomfortably cold when Beth awoke, and the harsh sun through the window did nothing to warm her. She knew she wasn't in her bed, but it took a moment for the thoughts of the night before to come spilling back into the forefront of her mind.

Beth immediately sat up and glanced around when they did. The shop was seemingly barren, much to her relief. She had this irrational fear of sleeping in a room where someone could be watching her without her knowledge. This is why she would never nap in a public domain, such as a living room. She couldn't bear the thought of waking up to find someone sitting adjacent from her and staring at her sleeping form. She typically only napped and slept in a bedroom with a closed door, when she could help it. She didn't even like to share her bed with anyone, for this very reason. Ironically, she couldn't seem to find the root of her own problem. If it had been anyone else's, she would have had it in the bag. She just figured it was a quirk that she had and left it at that.

Beth yawned widely and smacked her lips together, swallowing to try to rid herself of the dryness of her mouth. When that failed, she quickly grabbed the pack of gum from her pocket and popped a piece in, chewing and relishing the burning of the mint flavor. She started glancing around for a bathroom, needing to relieve herself and wanting to look in a mirror; she was sure her hair and make up looked a mess.

She spotted the door and quietly made her way over, not wanting to awaken the beast upstairs just yet. She didn't even know if she would see Daryl again, he might have been sleeping in. Truth be told, Beth really didn't want to see him. She would much rather use the shop phone that she had seen at the front counter and call a tow truck. The night before, Beth hadn't felt that uncomfortable around Daryl. But the clear, cool light of day can do wonders for the mind, revealing hesitations that were entirely inhibited in the concealing darkness of the night. Daryl would be an interesting case study, sure. But something told Beth that Daryl really didn't want to be examined.

She used the bathroom and washed her hands, looking up into the mirror and mussing with her bedhead, forming it back into shape the best she could. She used his index fingers to clean up the little bit of eyeliner that had smudged, and slapped her cheeks slightly to awaken some color in them. After deeming herself acceptable for possible viewers, she left the bathroom.

"Who the fuck are you?"

Beth jumped and defensively backed up into the door behind her at the voice.

There was an older man, dressed in grease-stained pants and a sloppy t-shirt. He had the scruff of many days of missed shaving and the bags under his eyes of someone who rarely got a decent night's sleep. He was standing in a highly predatory position, his fists clenched at his sides and his upper body leaning slightly forward.

Beth took a deep breath. "I'm sorry sir. My name is Beth and uh..." Beth quickly figured out how to explain her situation in the least amount of words. "My car broke down outside and I didn't have anywhere else to go for the night. I met Daryl, I'm assuming your son? And he let me sleep in here. I'm so sorry for the trouble." Beth inwardly cursed Daryl for leading her to believe that his dad was out of town and that there would be no one in the shop on Sunday.

"Daryl let ya stay here? Really?" Furry eyebrows scrunched up on a wrinkly forehead.

"Er...yeah. I mean, he didn't have much of a choice I guess. Anyway, if I could just use your phone and call a tow truck, I'll be out of your way," Beth requested.

"That son of a bitch. Letting strangers stay in my shop. It's not fucking called 'Mechanic Daryl', it's called 'Mechanic Joe'," the man positively fumed and Beth's skin turned cold.

"Joe?" Beth ventured carefully and the man glared back but Beth took it to mean that it was in fact his name, despite the ire that came with it. "It...wasn't Daryl's fault." Beth didn't even know why she was sticking up for him. "He literally had no other options."

"Oh, so you forced yourself in on my son? Is that it?" Joe walked toward Beth.

Beth held up her hands and moved along the wall to get away from him. "No! I mean, of course not. I was going to sleep in my car!"

"Why didn't you? Trying to steal stuff, were you?"

Beth couldn't believe this man. So very untrusting and angry. Beth could see where Daryl got it, although Joe was a much, much worse breed. Beth didn't doubt that Daryl had daddy issues after meeting this monster, although it was clear that it wasn't where the problems with his name stemmed from. Being that his dad's name was Joe.

Beth mentally slapped herself for analyzing in such a precarious moment. "I wasn't trying to steal anything, sir. I swear it. I'll just leave. Please just let me go..." Beth edged toward the front door, ready to walk home if that was her only option.

"And just let you get away without learning a lesson? Life is hard, kid. You can't just sleep on someone's property for free." Joe grinned evilly and revealed a set of discolored and broken teeth.

"Oh, God," Beth whispered. "I will pay you. I'll give you money. Just please, let me go?" Beth could hear the desperate pleading in her voice, she hoped that it would help.

"I don't wanna be paid in money..." Joe raised a sinister eyebrow and began to back Beth into a corner.

"No! Get away from me!" Beth yelled and made to run away. But Joe grabbed her forearm and slammed her against the wall.

Beth tried to knee him in the crotch but Joe pushed his body firmly against Beth's before she could get the chance. Beth could feel tears welling in her eyes as Joe's breath hit her neck, it was strong with the smell of liquor. Beth could have guessed what it would smell like even without experiencing it.

"Please..." Beth whispered as a tear ran down her cheek and she used the entire force of her body to push against her assailant. To no avail though- Beth knew she was a weakling.

Joe just grinned again and reached down with a hand to undo his clunky belt buckle. In a hopeless attempt, Beth called out the only thing that could possibly help her, "DARYL!"

Joe jerked back and glared hard at Beth. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He grabbed Beth by the shoulders and slammed her back against the wall, causing his head to make contact with a harsh thud.

Her head swam and more tears ran down his cheeks. "DARYL, PLEASE!" She tried again.

Joe slapped a swift hand across his cheek. "You shut up, kid. You'll fucking regret it if you speak again."

Beth bit her lip hard and closed her eyes, silently praying her heart out. And in a moment of bleak despair, her prayers were answered.

"Dad! What the fuck are you doing?" Daryl  
's sleep-ridden voice called out.

Joe and Beth snapped their heads over to look at the direction of the stairs. Daryl was rushing down them, clad only in boxers. Beth couldn't help the sigh of relief that came from her lips.

Joe shoved her against the wall again when he heard it.

"Let her fucking go. Now!" Daryl strode over to them and grabbed his dad by the arm, pulling on him roughly.

"You leave this alone, son. You brought this upon this girl, letting her mooch off of me like you did," Joe snarled.

"Then deal with me! Leave her alone. The fucks wrong with you...pushing a girl around like that!" Daryl's eyes were wide with anger and his jaw was tight. Beth just stood frozen, waiting and hoping for the moment when she would be released and could flee out the front door.

"It looks like someone already did deal with you," Joe motioned toward Daryl's bruised eye, that actually looked way worse than it did the night before. "Fucking wuss. Can't even defend yourself. I don't even know why they still want you."

Daryl's mouth tensed and he took a shaky breath instead of replying. He firmly pulled on Joe's arm, effectively getting him off of Beth.

"You'd better let go, now!" Joe warned, his right hand balling up into a preparatory fist. Beth immediately ran to the front door but for some reason, she didn't exit it. She rationalized that she had nowhere she could run. And there was also an unprecedented worry that was in her mind, a worry for Daryl's well-being. He had just saved Beth, after all.

"I'd better never catch ya touchin' anyone er anythin' that don' belong to ya again, ol' man. Ya drunk, ya sloppy, and ya pathetic," Daryl spat.

Joe immediately swung his fist and Daryl blocked it with his left hand hand and then landed his right hook against Joe's face with a sickening punch, kneeing him in the stomach when Joe tried to retaliate. The old man doubled over and fell to the ground.

"I done told ya that ya'd never git ta hit me again," Daryl said with a voice of rich and fucked up history, glaring down at the heap of his father and then looking over to Beth, his expression a mixture of anger and remorse.

Beth took a shaky breath and gave a little nod of thanks. Daryl looked back down at his father, who had obviously passed out. Not only from Daryl's hit, but also likely from the effects of his mass alcohol consumption.

Daryl slowly backed up, flexing his inflicting hand and walked over to Beth, rubbing his other hand over his uninjured eye.

He looked down at the ground when he reached Beth, his body rigid and shaking slightly. "I'm...I don' know what ta say."

Honestly, Beth didn't really know what to say either. She was still trying to absorb the enormity of what had almost happened. "You live with that creep?" is what ended up coming out.

Daryl tensed further and looked up. "Unfortunately..."

"I'm so glad you heard me call you," Beth breathed, feeling a large amount of gratitude for the severely troubled man in front of her.

Daryl gave a confused expression. "I didn't...I just had a bad feelin', so I came downstairs. He wasn't supposed to be back until tonight but sometimes if he's been drinkin', he shows up unexpectedly. I wanted to make sure that ya were...okay," hesitancy was very apparent in Daryl's voice.

"You have impeccable timing," Beth managed to say a little light-heartedly, surprisingly.

Daryl's lips quirked up slightly before turning into a hard line. "Yeah well, ya should probably go. Who knows when that asshole will wake up," he motioned with his head over to his unconscious father.

They shared a moment of silent contemplation. Beth bit her lip and looked at all of the features of Daryl's face that she hadn't looked over the night before. The scattering of moles on his skin, the chapped and red quality of his lips, his clear and sort of glowing complexion, the tiredness of his eyes that was only barely masked by his thick lashes. He briefly let his gaze wander to Daryl's bare, firm chest where tattoos and scars decorated the olive skin. The way that it rose with a sudden intake of breath when Daryl saw where Beth was fixated. Daryl looked over Beth in much the same fashion, Beth followed his eyes as they went from Beth's own eyes to her nose, her cheekbones, the piercings in her ears. Beth shivered slightly when Daryl's gaze landed on her lips and then carefully dropped down the length of Beth's body.

Eventually both of their eyes met in the middle and the tension was palpable.

"Thank you for...keeping me safe," Beth finally spoke to break whatever thickness was in the air there, going with the most accurate description of what Daryl had done.

"I fuckin' put ya in more danger than before," Daryl scoffed and licked his bottom lip.

"Thanks for keeping me safe from the danger you put me in, then," Beth smiled.

Daryl looked taken aback once again. Beth got the feeling that this guy didn't receive many genuine smiles. "Let me grab some clothes and shoes and I'll look at your car really quick," Daryl nodded.

"Oh no, you don't have to. If I could just use your phone to call a tow truck, I'll be on my way," Beth insisted for what seemed like the tenth time that morning.

"It's the least I can do...Beth," Daryl replied slowly.

It was the first time that Daryl had actually used her name and Beth tried to comprehend the motivation behind that kind of respect that Daryl was showing her. Guilt, she assumed. Perhaps embarrassment.

"Okay, I'm just going to go wait out by my car then," Beth ducked her head in appreciation and then walked out to her car. The sun felt warmer out there, but her body was ice cold. She needed to get some distance so she could shake what had happened in there. She sat on the hood of her car and waited, her mind numb but reeling.

A few minutes later, Daryl came out fully dressed, and a cigarette hung from his lips. Beth hopped off of the hood and moved out of the way, letting Daryl do his thing.

Daryl lifted the hood and fiddled with a few things, and then asked for the keys so that he could get in the driver seat and check under the dash. Beth completely dazed out, watching Daryl's hands check over things. She was only broken from her reverie when Daryl started laughing, actually laughing.

"What could possibly be funny?" Beth scowled but had to stop her lips from smiling, automatically reacting to the carefree sound of Daryl's laugh.

"You..." Daryl got out of the car and spoke through his laughter. "You just ran out of gas, Beth."

Beth's cheeks blushed. "No way, I'm so good about that."

Daryl smiled widely and Beth admired the fact that his teeth were perfect and white; the opposite of Joe's. "You're just outta gas. Your car may be older but it is in pretty good shape. It jus' needs fuel. Ya know, the thing that makes cars go?" Daryl teased as he took in Beth's dumbfounded expression.

"I know what gas is! I'm just surprised that I let that happen," Beth said in embarrassment.

"It's fine. Lucky for you, this is a gas station. Let me fill it up for ya," Daryl shook his head and his grin turned into a small smile.

Beth couldn't help but smile back a little. She was still mortified, but Daryl's smile was contagious. She reached into the car to grab her wallet to pay for the gas.

Daryl saw her and held up his hand. "It's on me."

"What? No. I'll pay for it," Beth argued.

"Please. Jus' don' make a big deal out of it. I've got it," Daryl's smile dropped and his face hardened again.

"I've got money though! I don't need your charity." Beth had a problem with accepting help from people, even when it wasn't coming from a place of pity. Unfortunately, growing up poor had made her that way.

"Ya don' think I have money?" Daryl's tone was harsh again. "Jus' 'cause I work in a mechanic's shop don' mean that I'm a nobody."

"I didn't...God, I didn't mean it like that," Beth countered. "I just didn't want you having to spend your money on me."

"Whatever, it's done," Daryl said as he swiped his credit card through the reader and got the gas pumping.

"Thank you, Daryl," Beth whispered.

Daryl just sniffed and nodded. They stood in silence as Beth's car was nourished. Beth was trying to establish the moment where Daryl's mood had turned, and why it had happened.

Daryl put the pump away and closed off Beth's fuel cap. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he glanced at Beth carefully. "If ya value yourself, don' come back here."

"Are you threatening me?" Beth asked in dismay.

"I'm fucking lookin' out for ya," Daryl growled. "Look, if ya turn left out of here, and then take the second right that you see, you'll hit the highway after goin' straight fer a while." He was obviously ready for Beth to leave.

But Beth being Beth, pushed her luck. "What...what was your dad talking about when he said he didn't know why they even still want you?"

Daryl glared hard. "Ya may have gotten my name out of me, gotten to sleep on my couch, but that is none of your fucking business."

Beth took a step back from the daggers that Daryl was hurling. "I'm sorry I asked," she whispered.

Daryl rolled his eyes and groaned. "Look, it's better that ya don' know about it. That way ya can't get caught up in it. Trust me. Jus'...leave it alone, Beth." There was actually a look of pleading in Daryl's eyes, like he wasn't just saying it to be a dick, but rather for her protection.

Beth listened intently and nodded, completely surprised that Daryl sort of, kind of, maybe cared a little. "Um, thanks. I guess...good luck with everything?"

Daryl gave a bitter smirk as he glanced back at his father's shop. "Yeah, you too."

"Bye, Daryl." Beth swallowed and then got in her car. She backed out and noted that Daryl stood and watched her with curious and intense eyes, his hands still shoved in his pockets, until he was out of sight.

Beth drove in the direction of the highway, windows rolled down and radio playing lowly, trying to clear her mind.

But it didn't work. She felt completely haunted by the image of Daryl standing by himself as Beth drove off, staring at her with those penetrating eyes. Beth inexplicably wanted to know what was behind those eyes and underneath the rough exterior and bruises


	3. 3 months later

**Okay you guys are awesome! Thank you all! review review review! :)**

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**_Three Months Later_**

Weekends were what kept Beth sane. She was so entirely bogged down by school and her newly acquired internship. Though to be honest, she actually spent the majority of her weekends doing homework and filling out paperwork. But Saturday nights, they were her release from the monotonous procedure that her life had become.

After checking her reflection in the mirror one last time, she grabbed her coat and signaled for her sister by jingling her keys as if she were a dog. Beth did this specifically because her sister hated it.

"I'm not your pet, Beth," Maggie huffed but shut off the TV, conceding to Beth's degrading summoning.

"Where are we going tonight, anyway?" Beth asked as she shoved her phone and keys in her pocket.

"We're meeting up with Lizzie and Carl and then apparently going to one of the older clubs in the city. It's really hard to get in but Lizzie has the hook up," Maggie shrugged and opened the front door.

"Carl, really? That guy is such a stoner," Beth whined. "He talks slowly, too,"

"Going by your assessment of stoners, Nana is one," Maggie laughed.

"Whatever. Do you have cab money?" Beth and Maggie both shivered as the night air hit them.

"Yeah, you got it last time so it's on me tonight. But, you're gonna have to buy me some drinks, I think," Maggie smirked and held out her hand to hail a taxi.

"I'll buy you drinks if you stop ordering ones with stupid names."

"But those ones taste the best!" Maggie pouted. "You have your fake ID?"

"You're a brat. And yes I do." Beth rolled her eyes.

"One who could easily kick your ass," Maggie shot back as they climbed into a waiting cab that reeked of cigarettes and coffee.

Beth felt a wave of nerves crash over her. She felt the eyes of the cab driver on her body. She shuddered, but quickly composed herself. She could protect herself. Ever since what she now referred to as the encounter, she'd been taking self-defense classes several times a week. The more she thought back on how Daryl had to step in to defend her, the more it angered her that she couldn't stand up for herself. At least not physically. Beth could sling an insult that could equate to a sandbag being dropped on your head. Unfortunately, insults don't protect one's virtue from being manhandled.

The club certainly didn't fail to hold up its reputation. It was really fucking cool. Dim lights and modern leather furniture, art deco creations adorned the walls, and a reflective glass bar stretched almost the length of the entire room, she welcomed the irregular mixture of the beat of the music and the chatter of the people. She appreciated that it was too loud in there to small talk with strangers.

"Do you want another drink?" Maggie yelled to Beth, even though they were seated next to each other on a couch.

Beth held up her cup to show that it was still half-full and shook her head. Beth wasn't much of a drinker.

"I'm gonna get another," Maggie stood up.

"She's probably going over there to hit on that redhead," Lizzie laughed from the other side of Beth.

Beth giggled.

"Heeeey, guys." Carl showed up in front of them, looking as pleased as if he had just traipsed through a field of daises and fireflies.

"Where'd you go?" Beth looked up at Carl's glazed over eyes.

"I don't even know! I was talking to this guy who looked like fucking Will Smith, man. It was bad ass." Carl sat on the rectangular table across from the couch.

"Sure you didn't make a stop to hang out with Mary Jane?" Lizzie snorted.

Carl grinned wide and squintily. "You know I've always gotta show some love to my girl."

"Care to share her?" Maggie had returned with her drink. Beth raised an eyebrow. She didn't know her sister smoked weed.

"You want some? I didn't know you smoked, Maggie! This is fucking great. Now you can come to my 4/20 party. We make pot cookies, brownies, muffins..." Carl ticked things off with the count of his fingers and Beth cringed slightly as the desserts he listed became less and less mixable with the drug.

"I do occasionally," Maggie chuckled, mainly to cut him off. "Where should we go to do it?"

"I went out in the alley. It's kind of fucking creepy out there but it's like empty." Carl rubbed at his eyes and then produced a little bottle of eye drops from his pockets, putting a few drops in both eyes. This guy was prepared.

"You want to?" Maggie asked Lizzie.

"I'm good. I have work in the morning so I don't really wanna mix drinking and smoking." Lizzie said.

"Okay. Did you want to come out with us, Beth?"

Beth nodded her head and stood up. "We'll be back in a bit, gorgeous." Maggie winked at Lizzie and grabbed Carl who was aloof and staring at the colored lights on the ceiling, and they walked out of the club.

"You sure we can get back in?" Beth asked a little hesitantly as she looked at the expansive line of people waiting for entry.

"Oh yeah. I know the bouncer. Used to hook him up with the good stuff back when I dealt," Carl waggled his eyebrows.

"You dealt? That's stupid, Carl," Beth sighed.

"Had to do something to put food on the table," Carl shrugged as they rounded the corner. "Plus, that's when I first got my lizard. Those things are more expensive than you'd think!" Carl always talked about his lizard as if it were his child.

"I'm guessing now that you have a substantial job, you don't worry about having money to buy crickets for...what's his name? Leonard?" Beth questioned.

"Larry, man. Larry. Leonard is a stupid ass name. And yeah, things are good now. Plus, since I do a lot of the graphic designing from home, he can chill on my shoulder while I work. It's pretty nice," Carl smiled fondly.

Beth and Maggie and shook their heads. She didn't like lizards so much, so she felt it best if they didn't dwell on the topic much longer lest the truth come out.

They glanced around as they leaned against the brick wall. It was cold outside, but the alcohol in his stomach made Beth feel substantially warmer. Carl pulled a pipe and lighter out of his pocket and passed them to Maggie.

"It's already packed. Go for it," Carl urged.

It had been a while since Maggie had done it, but it was just like riding a bike. She held the end of the pipe up to her lips and lit the weed in the belly of the pipe as she took a deep inhale. She held it in as she handed the pipe and lighter over to Carl, who followed suit. Beth cringed at the strong odor it produced.

He blew out the smoke slowly, relishing the additional warmth that it brought him. "That's good stuff." Maggie swallowed and nodded, impressed.

"I know! It's some strain of kush. Purple, I think? I don't even know. I got it as a gift from the girl at the pet shop. I always buy Larry's supplies there. She's a cool chick." Ca handed the supplies back to Maggie.

"Sounds like you two have a thing going on," Beth smirked, biting her nails a substantial amount of feet away from her sister and Carl.

"No way. She kind of has a beard." Carl's brow furrowed and Beth chuckled.

They passed the pipe back and forth a few times and then put it away, both feeling quite satisfactorily buzzed. Maggie had left after, saying she needed to go to the bathroom.

"Whoa, where are they all going? Why are they running so fast?" Beth squinted at the end of the alley, the one furthest from the entrance of the club. Carl lazily turned his head toward it and they both saw that there was a crowd of people quickly gathering there in the enclosure created by the backsides of four buildings.

"I don't fucking know. Maybe they found dinosaur bones or something..." Carl drawled.

"Huh?" Beth laughed. "Why would they be running over there if they found dino bones?"

"Because dinosaur bones are cool! I'd run, man. I'd be there in a second. Jurassic Park, bro. Best movie of all time," Carl blinked, trying to wet his eyes, and nodded with confidence.

"But why would there be dinosaur bones there in the first place?" Beth squinted. Carl was a weirdo.

"They owned the fucking land, back in the day. No boundaries or limits, man," Carl stared off into the distance.

Beth just cracked up some more. "Wanna go see what's up?"

"Sure! If there are actually fossils over there, you owe me a fucking pie," Carl exclaimed and pushed off the wall.

"Why a pie?" Beth walked backward, smirking at the strange boy.

"I like pie," Carl shrugged.

The crowd as it turned out, were not excited about the groundbreaking discovery of dinosaur bones. Instead, they seemed to be gathering in a circle to witness a fight. At least, that's what Beth assumed considering the fact that people were chanting "Fight, fight, fight!"

"Lame, just a bar fight probably." Beth yawned. "Probably fighting over a girl."

Carl's eyes widened as he blearily surveyed the scene. "Dude! This isn't a bar brawl. This is fucking legitimate street fighting. I recognize one of the guys. He's famous on campus."

"People actually do that? Why?" Beth narrowed his eyes.

"The winner gets money. Not just chump change, either. I'm talking thousands. I'd do it myself, but I don't want to mess up this pretty face." Carl emphasized his point by smiling largely.

"It's still stupid. Fighting recreationally? Nah. What's the guy's name that you recognize?" Beth tried to peer over the crowd but there were too many people that were taller than her. "I can't see anyone. How did you see the guys?"

"Oh, I'm looking under the armpit of the girl in front of me. It pays to be short!" Carl grinned.

"Mhm..." Beth grumbled.

"They call the guy Flesheater, by the way. I don't know his real name."

"That's disgusting. Does he really eat people's flesh and?" Beth cringed.

"Nah. I mean, maybe. Who knows! Not in front of anyone, to my knowledge," Carl shrugged.

"Comforting..." Beth grimaced, tying her long blonde hair into a pony tail. "Wonder who he's fighting?"

Carl peered under the armpit again. "I don't know who the other guy is. He looks pretty fit though. Not as strong as Flesheater, but capable. He's got a black leather angel wing vest on though."

Beth immediately thought about Daryl, because she really didn't know anyone else who wore a black leather vest. Beth really didn't have any good memories involving Daryl, it was such a fleeting and disturbing experience. But occasionally, she did think back on the mysterious guy because he was memorable. Even if not with a positive connotation

"I knew a guy who wore a black leather angel wing vest." Beth shared.

"This guy looks like a redneck. Looks kinda out of place." Carl laughed.

Beth blinked. Could it be? "I've gotta get closer," Beth started to push her way through the crowd.

"Uh, no. I've heard that if you give Flesheater anything resembling an odd look, he comes over and punches you in the face," Carl called after her.

Beth wasn't going to get that close. Just close enough to shake the stupid notion that the other fighter was Daryl. If she didn't see, she'd always wonder. But the odds were slim; Daryl lived over an hour away and she had never run into him in the city before.

Beth had to use her newfound strength to force her way past a rather portly gentleman that just wouldn't budge. But finally, she was closer to the front and she could see the two opponents, though only the back of the man wearing a vest.

Flesheater was big, his face was scarred and he didn't wear a shirt. His muscles were gross and bulging. Sure, they were probably good for fighting, but Beth thought they made him look like a human ape.

Beth started from the feet up on the other guy, looking at his large boots, ripped jeans, his ripped flannel and vest that displayed lean but muscular arms. She then followed the shaggy, greasy, brown hair that hung down to his shoulders and up to the guy's head. From behind, he certainly did look like Daryl. But again, what were the odds?

"Alright ya scoundrels," a man stepped out of the crowd and shouted, "we gotta git this goin' 'fore the cops show up an' ruin all the fun," he laughed and the crowd joined in. Beth assumed him to be the announcer, and she scrunched up her nose, not understanding how people could find this entertaining.

"T'night we have the infamous an' terrifyin' FLESHEATER!" he yelled with a scraggly southern drawl, and the crowd went wild. "Versin' a guy who is relatively new ta the game but rapidly becomin' known fer his agility, footwork, and the ability ta throw one hell of a punch...DIXON!"

Beth's mouth dropped open. Dixon. It was Daryl.

"Why'd you leave me back there? That Will Smith guy showed up and started hitting on me," Carl huffed as he arrived next to Beth.

"I know the other guy, Carl." Beth's mouth was still wide open, staring at Daryl's face. He was still as remarkable looking as ever, his bruise had healed from the months before and his face was smooth and calm, though Beth knew that could change in any instant.

"They called him Dixon, yeah? Hm. Well, he's about to get his ass kicked. Sorry."

"I don't know...he's pretty tough," Beth recalled the way that Daryl had taken down his father in defense of Beth. "Maybe he'll pull through." Beth found herself suddenly very interested in the fight, nervous and anticipatory tingles spread throughout her stomach.

"Do you wanna stay and watch?" Carl raised a surprised and challenging eyebrow.

Beth thought for a moment. Watching people fight wasn't how she had envisioned her night playing out- but the prospect of watching Daryl fight awakened an excitement in her that she didn't know lay stagnant.

"Yeah, I wanna watch," Beth nodded her head and stared unabashed as Daryl looked around at the crowd with a confident smirk displayed on his lips, holding up his arms in response to the cheers and chants.

"FIGHT!


	4. Victory for the Underdog

**I really appreciate every single one of you guys for reviewing, favoriting, and following :) it really means a lot to me. I know Beth's character is a little...off, but I feel like when Beth gets angry, she becomes a different person. So that is why I wrote Beth in such a way. I like strong Beth better than defenseless Beth. Anyways! Keep reviewing :) Heres chapter 4!**

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Beth was intrigued, and no amount of punches in the gut, bloody lips, and bone-crunching jabs could entirely deter that feeling. In fact, it only added to the surreality of the situation and the overall excitement and terror of watching it. Beth bit her lip so hard that it was bleeding just like Daryl's was. Beth wanted to run over with a washcloth or something and dab at Daryl's injuries, but she was more than certain that Daryl might find that a tiny bit awkward if she played nurse for him in the middle of a throwdown. And, she was pretty sure that Flesheater might just live up to his name and eat her face.

Beth had a pretty face. She really couldn't blame someone for trying to eat it.

"Ooof. Man. Dixon is getting his ass handed to him on a fucking platter," Carl cringed.

"He could still pull through," Beth winced as Fleshie kneed Daryl in the gut, causing him to double over.

"This is really bad ass, by the way. I'm glad we decided to try to look for dinosaur bones," Carl nudged Beth.

"I can't...oh no," Beth hid her eyes behind her hand, not able to focus on Carl's words. "Come on, Daryl. Show me that fighting spirit," she whispered under her breath, not even caring that her words of encouragement were corny.

Beth peeked out from between her tense fingers just in time to see Flesheater take a violent swing to the side of Daryl's head. Beth braced herself for the telltale sound of the impact but she didn't hear it. Instead, the crowd went crazy- applauding, cheering and shouting Dixon's name. Beth put her hand down and watched with wide eyes. Daryl had tackled the giant oaf to the ground, pinned him by wrapping his legs around the underside of the beast's legs, and was punching his face with consecutive and strong hits.

The sound was sickening, fists connecting with bone and flesh. The telltale gushing of blood.

The referee got down on one knee near the action. His eyes were filled with excitement and Beth wanted to be disgusted by the man, the man who looked utterly in rapture by the destruction of body parts. But then Beth realized that her own facial expression and attention could elicit similar assumptions.

Flesheater got a few punches in, making Daryl almost fall off the top of him, but eventually he stopped flailing and lashing back. Daryl slowed his punches and defensively hopped off of him and then back a few feet, fists at the ready in case Flesheater planned a retaliation. The referee zeroed in on Flesheater, determining if he was defeated or if perhaps he had a second wind in him. Daryl wiped at his mouth and didn't even look around at the cheering crowd, acting as if they didn't even exist.

Beth squinted her eyes and tried to guess what Daryl was thinking in that moment as he rubbed at his right hand and glared down at the body on the ground. Was it as sign pure disdain that Daryl felt for Flesheater? Or was it actually disdain for himself.

Beth cut her psycho-babble thoughts short as she watch the referee put his ear close to Flesheater's mouth. Beth honestly worried for the man's face, being in such close proximity to the teeth of a person with such a name.

"He's breathing...but barely! Looks like we have a winner in the underdog!" The referee stood up and grabbed one of Daryl's bloody up hands. "DIXON!"

The crowd went wild and Beth had to cover her ears to block the impeding and harsh sounds.

"He won, man!" Carl gave Beth's arm a celebratory punch but Beth blocked it, just like her trainer had taught her. "Whoa-ho," Carl chuckled. "Easy there. Maybe you should go over there and fight."

"Yeah right," Beth laughed but she couldn't help but have the fleeting thought about what it would be like if she were a fighter. She would have to train a lot more...but she didn't doubt herself entirely. Beth shook her head at the ludicrous idea. Even she knew that she was far too dainty for such a life. Plus, she was a girl. There was no way she was going to fight a 250 man.

There was the echoing of a siren in the distance and then a collective gasp.

"DISPERSE!" The announcer yelled. "SEE YOU GUYS NEXT FIGHT." Beth stood sort of frozen amongst the chaos and watched as the referee handed Daryl an envelope, patted him on the back, and then took off running. Just like the rest of the crowd. But Daryl continued to stand there, looking down at the envelope with a stoic face, not betraying any emotions.

"Come on," Carl urged. "We've gotta get going. I'll get busted for the weed."

"Not if you don't act suspicious!" Beth lazily tried to hit Carl on the shoulder and missed it by at least a foot.

"Yeah, I don't look suspicious at all," Carl laughed. "Come on."

"I wanna see if he's okay, though!" Beth looked to where Daryl had started limping off.

"Beth. I'm not gonna let you go over to a guy who just kicked a 250 pound man's ass."

"But I know him!" Beth argued. "Look, I have my phone. I'm just gonna go talk to him real quick. You go back in the club."

Carl narrowed his eyes. "Even my high isn't hiding my bad feeling about this. Let me come with you."

"No, he won't talk to me if you're there. He's super private and kind of cryptic."

"You're really not making me feel better about letting you go over there," Carl sighed with concern.

"I'm a grown woman, Carl, I can take care of myself," Beth huffed, a little annoyed. "Besides, I have my phone and you have yours. If anything goes wrong, I'll call you."

Carl shook his head but conceded. "Fine. But if you get your ass kicked-"

Beth smiled. "Thanks." She tightened the coat around her body, shivering lightly.

Carl rolled his eyes and nodded, gave an uneasy smile, flickering his gaze to Daryl, and then left Beth. Beth took a deep breath and then headed over to Daryl, who had made it a little ways away already.

Beth rounded the darkened corner of one of the surrounding buildings, following in tow. To be honest, the whole thing was creepy and more than likely quite dangerous. But, she had been around Daryl before. Daryl had sort of kind of saved her life, or at least her virtue. Definitely had allowed her to avoid some seriously traumatic emotional damage. Thus, she inextricably felt like he could trust him.

She approached Daryl as he was staggering off and her heart wrenched when she saw him spit blood on the grimy pavement. She felt an urge, a want, to comfort him.

"Daryl," Beth whispered and it echoed in the barren alleyway.

Daryl whipped his head around, eyes darting about and clearly searching for the person who knew his name. When his gaze landed on Beth at last, he froze.

"Beth? What the fuck are ya doin' here?" Daryl hissed. Still an asshole, Beth thought.

"Daryl..." Beth said softer this time, practically floating over to him, or at least it felt like that; she was still buzzing from the bit of alcohol she consumed.

Daryl's brow furrowed and he hissed, immediately bringing his hand up to his bloody eyebrow.

"Wow. That looks bad," Beth grimaced.

Daryl shook his head and gave Beth a fixed glare. "What the hell do ya want?"

Beth stepped back. "Seriously? I just wanted to check on you."

"Why? What are you even doing here?" Daryl licked at his broken lip.

"I was at that club," Beth pointed. "I came outside and saw a crowd gathering," Beth nodded slowly.

"Did you watch?" Daryl gently quirked his uninjured eyebrow.

"Yeah, I did," Beth breathed, and they once again shared a moment of silent appraisal. Daryl's lip was bleeding and his eyebrow was cut, his cheek glowed with the promise of bruising. But he still looked... Beth's train of thought was cut off when-

"Ya have ta go," Daryl suddenly urged and then groaned, grabbing his side.

"I will but, what hurts?" Beth addressed Daryl's side.

"Fuck. Broken ribs, prob'ly. At least that's what it feels like," Daryl sighed and lifted his shirt, revealing a sculpted but abused abdomen. In the pale moonlight and the meager glow from the streetlamps afar, Beth could see dark, almost black spots that were definitely indicative of some underlying damage. Beth took a moment to take in various scars that adorned Daryl's otherwise smooth skin. Some fresher, some faint, others that were merely thin lines. From fingernails? Knives? Beth wasn't sure.

"Let me help you. Take you to the hospital or something," Beth flailed a bit and Daryl just pushed his shirt down with a bitter laugh.

"Surely ya ain't stupid. But do ya think I am? What I do is obviously illegal. I can't jus' stroll into a fuckin' hospital. I have people who can patch me up," Daryl spit more blood along with his unpleasant tone. "Ya really need ta go," he said as he glanced at an extravagant watch on his left wrist.

"Why do you keep saying that? There's nobody else here, Daryl," Beth motioned around them with her hands.

"Stop usin' my name like that," Daryl growled. "And there will be people. Fuckin' go," he reached out and shoved Beth a little in a move to encourage her to leave. Weeks of self-defense classes and a stubborn demeanor caused Beth to reflexively shove back, hard. Daryl stumbled and fell to the ground in his weakened state, looking up at Beth with shocked eyes.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Beth murmured and reached down a hand to help Daryl up.

But before she could- "Well, well. Ya already got another fight fer the night, Dixon?" a booming, cold voice trailed through the alley.

Beth squinted down through the partial darkness and saw the shadowed outline of three men and a woman. Two, she recognized from that night at the shop. The other two were unknown, and the one that spoke was deeper complected with sculpted facial features. His dark hair was shorn short, almost bald on his head but expressed itself more so with the scruff on his face.

He could have been an attractive man, but his evil grin completely marred the possibility. Beth saw the prosthetic the man had on his right arm; a knife was in place of a hand.

Daryl stood up as quickly as his injuries would allow. "Nah, Merle. It was jus' an misunderstandin'," he gulped.

"Really? 'Cause it looks like ya jus' let this prissy girl knock ya ta the ground," Merle smirked. "Ain't ya gonna hit back?"

Beth glared at the man's adjective for him while Daryl's eyes darted nervously between the two.

"She's uh, she's not a fighter, man," Daryl supplied. "Seriously, jus' wrong place at the wrong time kind of thing."

Merle laughed. "That's even more pathetic. Bein' taken down by a priss who don' fight. I didn't take ya fer a pussy. Maybe I was wrong." The rest of the group joined in on his sudden and raucous laughter.

Beth couldn't resist the urge to speak, having finally found her courage in response to the word 'pussy'. She loathed that word, especially when used in a derogatory manner. "It was my mistake, I don't want a fight. I'll just get out of your way," she said and began to back up.

"Unfortunately fer ya, I do want a fight," Merle licked his lips and smirked. "I ain't goin' ta let my best fighter get knocked ta the ground by a pretty girl without hittin' back. That's not how I fuckin' trained ya," Merle glared at Daryl.

Daryl looked at Beth with an uninterpretable gaze before turning to Merle. "I ain't. She ain't a part of this, she's just a girl." he mumbled.

There was silence amongst the posse. "Yeah?" The woman in the back raised a thick eyebrow. "Then she can fight me." Beth whipped her head to look at the woman. She was dark skin, and had dreads. A katana graced her back. "Guess I'll have to make her pay, instead," she flexed her hands and cracked her knuckles, slowly rounding on Beth.

"No!" Daryl shouted and Beth was thankful for his intervention. "Michonne...I'll fight him," he said with an uncharacteristically shaky voice.

Beth was fucked. Apparently she wasn't getting out of this without a fight. She could try to haul ass, but she was an awkward runner. She debated sneakily trying to dial Maggie's or Carl's number on her phone nestled in her pocket, but she really didn't want to get them mixed up in this, too. She was pissed at herself that Carl's bad feeling had come to some fruition. She looked over at Daryl with strained eyes, he was already in such bad shape. Beth couldn't in good conscience fight him, not when Daryl had tried to protect her from this Merle asshole.

Beth set her expression determinedly and decided to make possibly the stupidest decision of her life. She just hoped that her training would help her at least a little.

"No. I want to fight you," she looked Michonne directly in the eyes.

Daryl shook his head and Merle's laugh was a mixture of joyful and sinister.

"This night jus' got interestin', guys," Merle grinned at Michonne, who was taking off the sword on her back.

Beth gulped and wondered over the fact that she had only been around Daryl twice and she had found herself in danger that she had not provoked, both times. Really, what were the odds?

"Beth, what the fuck are ya doin'?" Daryl voiced and all of them looked at him.

"You know this chick's name?" the tall blonde from the shop spoke up.

"I met her once, Knox. She jus' saw the fight and came over ta say...hello," Daryl attempted, addressing the blonde.

"How sweet. So glad you could reunite. That doesn't change anything. Priss challenged me and I never back down from a fight. Unlike some people," Michonne glared at Daryl.

Daryl just looked down at the ground and took a deep breath, wincing and grabbing at his ribs.

"Get this asshole patched up while I handle this situation, Leech," Merle addressed the brunette guy from that night, three months before.

Even in her moment of horror, Beth was really not impressed by Leech's name. Leech immediately went over and shrugged his backpack off his shoulder, pulling out supplies. Daryl leaned against the wall and kept his eyes trained on Beth as Leech started patching him up.

Beth was starting to feel too on edge to handle the tension. "Are we going to do this, or what?" She found herself spitting out.

"So you have some bark?" Michonne smirked, thankfully taking the rings off her fingers and stowing them in her pocket. "But do you have the bite to back it up..." She pursed her lips and walked in a circle around Beth, sizing up her challenge, looking at Beth as if she weren't a challenge at all.

Beth stood frozen, turning her eyes to lock with Daryl's. They were having a moment of inexplicable connection. It was as if Beth was feeding off of Daryl's energy, like she wanted to beat this chick up if only to show Daryl she could. That she was able to take care of herself.

So without further ado, Beth punched Michonne in the face.

Michonne stumbled backward and held her hand over her cheekbone where Beth had hit, looking at Beth with genuinely surprised eyes. She stood dumbfounded for a second before grinning.

"Fuck yeah," she heard Merle say. Michonne came back toward Beth, who had her hands up in defense. Michonne went for a swing and Beth ducked away from it, kicking the woman in the knee with the flat of her foot. When Michonne struggled, Beth took the opportunity to take out her other leg as well. She grabbed the woman by the shoulders and kneed her squarely in the inner thigh, just near her crotch. She didn't want to win this fight by copping to kicking her in the core, she wanted to win it fairly, even if she was unfairly in this situation.

Michonne groaned and grabbed Beth around the middle, tackling her down to the ground. Beth flailed underneath her as Michonne grabbed her by the throat, squeezing just hard enough to constrict her airway before head-butting her.

The alleyway around her went fuzzy for a moment and she thought she might pass out from the pain. Her brain literally felt jumbled as she came to her senses enough to wrap her spidery legs around Michonne's back, thrusting her hips up and using the strength of her lower body to flip them over so that she was on top.

The reactions of the men around them didn't even phase Beth, she was so absorbed. There was only one thing that affected Beth during the fight besides the instinct of survival; the fact that Daryl looked worried, but also...impressed?

Beth locked her legs around Michonne's, prohibiting her from getting up, and twisted her arm backward until the woman was crying out.

"You asshole," Michonne moaned. "Get the hell off of me," she growled as she took her free hand and pulled hard at Beth's hair, raking her fingernails down her neck.

"Aaaah," Beth whined and let go of her hold for a moment, grabbing her neck and feeling the fresh blood there.

Michonne took this opportunity to get out from underneath Beth, standing up and getting back into fighting stance.

Beth stumbled to her feet, her head still swimming.

"You can fight, kid. But you can't beat me," Michonne admitted and then the sick woman smiled, rounding on Beth as if she hadn't been inflicted at all.

In a moment of surreal slow motion, Beth turned her head toward Daryl Daryl's eyes were set with such determination. He licked his bloody lips and then gave an almost imperceptible nod. Like he was telling Beth- don't let her take you.

That was all Beth needed.

"I wasn't even trying before," Beth said with a confidence that shocked even herself, and advanced toward Michonne with a newfound vigor...


	5. Priss

**God! I fucking love you all! You guys are so awesome! So in reward of all of the reviews I received, here is chapter 5!**

Beth flung herself at Michonne, fists swinging. She backed the woman against the brick wall, slamming her head into it several times. Michonne was strong enough to hold Beth at arm's length, but Beth was bendy and lanky enough to use the rest of her body to ram into her. Michonne flipped her around and pushed her against the wall instead, the back of her skull meeting the rough building and making her eyes roll back in pain.

This wasn't working, she was losing. She was getting her ass kicked. And so she did exactly what she had deemed not to do; she kicked Michonne in the crotch bone.

The woman groaned and hunched forward, giving Beth the opportunity to switch their positions. She didn't know where this violent urge in her had come from, but she forced Michonne into the wall, hard. She kept going, not stopping when she realized that Michonne wasn't fighting back as much.

"Beth, stop," Daryl's voice broke her from her chain of abuse. "It's over."

Beth took a deep and shaky breath and backed up, arms still posed in defense.

Michonne's eyes were squinted closed and all of the men were silent. Beth couldn't believe what she had done. She didn't know she had it in her. Not only to fight a woman, but to fight a total stranger.

Beth retreated to the opposite wall, leaning against it for support. She felt sick.

"Where the fuck did ya learn ta fight like that, Priss?" Merle finally spoke in a gravelly voice.

Beth tried to shrug but her entire body was sore, so she just gently shook her head, not knowing the answer herself. Sure she had taken classes, but she had just won against a woman who had probably twice the amount of muscle as her, if not more, and quadruple the experience. She didn't understand it any better than the rest of them.

Beth let her head fall back and then lolled it to the side, searching for those deep blue eyes. She found them, just like she expected.

Daryl mouthed to her, asking her if she was okay. Beth nodded in a barely perceptible way and began to feel incredibly sick to her stomach, her head felt like she had been on a roller coaster for an hour.

"Are we done here?" Beth wheezed out, feeling the immediate need to throw up but swallowing thickly to hold it back. She slowly readjusted her ponytail.

Merle just stared at her in what could have been interpreted as awe, or perhaps just plain old shock. Beth looked around into the eyes of the rugged men that surrounded her, not knowing what step was next. Michonne was leaning against the wall, breathing heavily.

Merle spoke up. "Maybe you an' I should talk." He smirked wickedly.

"About what?" Beth sputtered stupidly.

Merle managed to grin. "'Bout ya joinin' the ranks as one o' us. I ain't never seen someone who looks like ya, fight like that. I'm pretty sure not many oth'a people have either. Although ya wouldn't be able ta git 'way with kickin' someone in the crotch ag'in, that was a low blow, Priss," he grimaced.

Beth scoffed. "I probably looked ridiculous and entirely out of place."

"You were good, Beth," Daryl's quiet voice spoke volumes in the empty alley.

Beth snapped her head over to look at him, groaning when it made the world spin around her. She brought her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose and took deep breaths. "I don't think I would ever want this," she whispered through the pain.

"You get used to the pain," the other man who had yet to speak chimed in. Beth looked him over. He had tanned skin, light eyes and dark hair that hung over his face. Even in the dim light Beth could see obvious scars on his chin and cheeks.

The air was as heavy as the situation and Beth felt the immediate need to lighten it up. "I don't want to mess up my pretty face, though," she joked a little.

"Hate ta break it ta ya Priss, but it's kind o' fucked up righ' now," Merle replied.

Beth scowled. "Thanks to you, asshole."

Everyone went silent. Beth surprised herself; she never cursed.

"People don' jus' talk ta me like that, ya know," Merle shook his head and glared hard.

"Yeah well, I don't know. And please, don't try to make me pay for it because I think I just proved that I can put up a decent fight," Beth was beginning to feel increasingly annoyed as the pain in her head multiplied. All of her instincts for self-preservation began to flee to make way for the throbbing.

Before anyone could retort, a police officer decided to intervene. "HEY!" A flashlight shined down the alley. "What's going on down there?"

"Shit," Knox whispered and then looked to Merle who nodded.

"Priss, think abou' what I proposed. If ya don' want this, ya might want ta watch yer back," Merle said in a warning voice and Beth fought herself to keep from rolling her eyes. It's not that she thought the man was joking, her head just felt like it might explode; a ticking time bomb that wouldn't allow the present any threats.

Beth gave an acknowledging shrug as Merle and his posse began to walk away. Beth slowly began to do the same when she noticed that Daryl hadn't left.

"Why aren't you going with them?" Beth asked in a hoarse voice and flinched when the police officer shouted again.

"We have ta get away from here." Daryl lightly grabbed her arm and pulled her along until they were at a safe distance.

When they stopped Beth twisted out of his grasp. "I think I should get away from you. Seriously, I've been around you twice and each time I've gotten into some sort of serious predicament. If this is any indication of what being around you will inevitably be like, I think I'll pass."

"It ain't my fuckin' fault that ya stumble across me! It ain't like I seek ya out."

"I don't seek you out either! Shit luck, is what it is," Beth spat. God, her language!

"I don' remember ya bein' this much of an ass." He growled lowly.

"That's because you were taking up all of the asshole floor before," Beth replied and grabbed her head again.

"Fuck, are ya okay?" Daryl spoke softly this time.

"I don't know," Beth laughed bitterly and looked over to Daryl, her breath hitching a little when she saw the obvious look of concern in Daryl's eyes. "I'm sorry," she breathed.

Daryl smirked lightly. "I can handle it. 'M sorry fer gettin' ya in situations where ya can get yer ass kicked. Though ya managed ta take care o' yerself pretty well this time."

Beth rolled her eyes and a corner of her mouth turned up. She was about to speak when her phone started buzzing. "Ah, damn," she said in panic, realizing that she hadn't checked in with her friends.

Sure enough, the culprit was Carl. She gave Daryl a 'one second' motion with her hand and held her phone up to her ear.

She made her voice sound as casual as possible. "Carl, hey."

"Beth? Where the hell are you?"

"I'm..." Beth scrambled her brain for a lie. She could say she went home but what if Maggie was about to head there and would catch her in her lie?

"Maggie left to go back to that redhead's place and Lizzie and I want to go. Are you okay?" Carl interrupted her thoughts.

Beth had never been so grateful for Maggie and her tendency for random hookups. "Maggie went with the ginger? I am delighted by the triumph over her prejudice," Beth laughed.

"Yeah well, she kept buying him shots and pushing her tits in his face so," Carl chuckled, "are you still here?"

"Uh, no," Beth glanced to Daryl. "I headed home, I was tired and loopy so I caught a cab. Thanks for checking up though, I'll talk to you later?"

"Yeah, sure. Come chill with me and Larry sometime!" Carl happily supplied.

Beth pointedly did not respond to the notion of "chilling" with Larry the lizard. "Bye Carl," she said jovially and hung up the phone, letting a deep breath go.

"Ya prob'ly shouldn't lie ta yer friends 'bout where ya are. It could be dangerous," Daryl said in a serious voice.

"I'm kind of hoping that the universe has already bestowed upon me my night's- hell, week's worth of danger," Beth replied. "I'm gonna head home and sleep. My head is killing me."

"Ya shouldn't sleep. Ya might have a concussion," Daryl's said as his brow furrowed.

Beth tried her best not to whine. "Dammit. It hurts and I just want to curl up in bed." Clearly she failed at her attempt.

"Ya need ice, painkillers an' water," Daryl nodded.

"I have all of that at home," Beth yawned and started to slowly wander off.

"Yer gonna go home an' pass the fuck out, ain't ya?" Daryl rolled his eyes.

Beth walked backwards and raised an eyebrow. "Yep."

"Seriously, ya need ta stay up fer a while. Is there someone that can watch ya?" Daryl insisted.

Beth pursed her lips, eyebrow still raised. "My sister is one-night standing it and anyone else I could call would demand an explanation of why I look like I just got in a street fight."

Daryl sighed and looked around them. "I really can't let ya go by yerself, Beth."

"Why not? I'm a grown up! Everyone seems to keep forgetting that. I can handle myself," Beth turned and strode away.

Daryl walked quickly to catch up with her. "Look, jus' let me make sure ya git home okay."

Beth looked into the dark eyes of the man beside her. "Why do you care?" She murmured.

"Why did ya care after my fight tonight? Ya didn't have ta come after me," Daryl challenged.

Beth honestly didn't have an answer. At least not one that she had properly thought through yet. "I don't know."

Daryl looked down and smiled a little. "Well, since we seem ta be on the same page of confusion, let's jus' stay there fer a little bit. Jus' until I make sure ya gonna be okay."

"Whatever," Beth huffed, slightly amused by the fact that she and Daryl seemed to have reversed roles, but mostly just annoyed by the combination of Daryl's chatter and her own pounding head.

Daryl somehow managed to get Beth into a cab and to her apartment, even though she fought him the entire way. Beth didn't even know why she was being so difficult for Daryl. Out of principle perhaps, it was his crowd that had wanted Beth's ass handed to him not long before. But mainly she was just being a whiny jerk because her head hurt so badly.

"Ah, damn," Beth groaned as she stumbled up the steps.

"Whoa," Daryl steadied her and Beth flushed.

"Thanks," she mumbled as she sloppily got her key in the door. "You don't have to come in," she looked over her shoulder, "I should be fine now."

Daryl looked at her worriedly for a second. "Look, this can be really fuckin' awkward an' forced or ya can jus' let me help ya git settled. For yer sake an' fer my own peace o' mind, jus'-please?"

Beth was taken aback. She knew that Daryl had this side somewhere in him; he had saved her from his asshole father. But she was legitimately surprised that Daryl was being so forthcoming with it now. Especially after the trouble that Beth had stirred up with his people earlier.

"Yeah, okay," Beth agreed and pushed open the door and they filed in. "What about you? How are your ribs?"

"Nothin' I can't deal wit'," Daryl shrugged lightly and fought a grimace.

Beth furrowed her eyebrows, twirling her hair with a finger. "I think you need the painkillers as badly as I do," she laughed a little.

"I'm used ta it," Daryl replied, not joining the laughter.

Beth shook her head and immediately regretted it. "Hey, I wanna take a shower. It'll help wake me up and I wanna wash all of...this," Beth motioned over herself with her hands, "off of me."

Daryl licked his lips and leaned against the back of the couch, looking around. "Ya won' slip an' fall?"

"Don't tell me you want to keep an eye on me in the shower?" Beth teased and Daryl's body went rigid. "Relax, I was kidding. I'll be fine. Make yourself comfortable. If you want water or food or something, go for it." Beth reached down to unzip her boots, falling forward a little and having to catch her balance with her hand on the back of the couch next to Daryl.

They were so close to each other and the tension that seemed to be ever-present was just as palpable as always. Beth slowly looked up and over, Daryl was looking right back at her.

"I think I have questions for you when I get back," Beth whispered, biting her bottom lip in a pondering way.

Daryl glanced away. "I don' really like ta answer questions."

"Yeah but you know I'm persistent. I'm bound to try," Beth cocked her head to the side slightly and Daryl just gave her an amused look of incredulity. They both stared again and Beth noticed that there were flecks of green in Daryl's eyes. Light in the darkness.

"Go shower. I'll be here," Daryl cleared his throat, breaking their moment.

Beth had a quick intake of breath, snapping herself back to reality, and then walked awkwardly to the bathroom.

It wasn't until Beth was out of the shower and observing her bruises in the fogged mirror that she realized that it was probably really stupid to leave someone she hardly knew, a criminal no less, alone in her apartment. It was really stupid to be with him alone in her apartment, too. But again, Beth got the distinctive feeling that Daryl wasn't a threat. At least not to her.

Beth slipped into her adjoining bedroom and got dressed in some comfortable clothing. She rarely wore clothes like that around anyone but her close friends, but Daryl had seen a side of her that no one else had seen so Beth figured it wasn't a big deal to look like a bum in front of him.

When she left the known comfort of her room to venture out into who knows what, she took a deep breath. She really felt much better, more awake, her head still hurt but it wasn't spinning. If she was being honest- she actually felt great, powerful, and really fucking alive. Like the fight had reminded her of her vitality. Not that she had enjoyed it or anything... She shook her head and walked down the hallway, finding Daryl sitting on the couch, his phone in hand. In front of him was a glass of water, two pills, and a bag of ice.

"Hey," Beth said in an uncool way.

Daryl turned at her voice and put his phone away in his pocket. "Hey. I uh, got these things fer ya. I hope ya don' mind."

Beth only took a second to decide if she was going to go with this awkward vibe or ignore it entirely. "No, I really appreciate it. Thanks for making sure I didn't end up asleep on the street somewhere. I was nearing that point, to be honest," Beth smiled and grabbed the cures from the table.

"I know the feelin'," Daryl smirked and his body visibly relaxed.

"How long do I have to stay awake?" Beth asked after she swallowed her pills and curled her legs under her on the other side of the couch.

"There ain't a set time," Daryl leaned his elbows on his knees and gave an apologetic look. "Jus' long 'nough ta make sure yer not goin' ta fall asleep an' never wake up."

"Lovely," Beth said dryly. "You really don't have to babysit though. I'll just stay up and work on homework or something."

"What are ya studyin'?" Beth blinked at Daryl's question, surprised he asked something entirely unrelated.

"Psychology," Beth nodded. "I'm a graduate student."

Daryl stiffened a little. "That's really cool."

Beth chuckled. "Relax, I'm not gonna get inside your head." Beth smiled a little as she thought to herself about the many times in her short acquaintance of Daryl that she really had been digging around in there.

"I don' think that would be pleasant fer either o' us," Daryl offered quietly.

Beth tilted her head so she could put the bag of ice between it and the couch, it was already starting to feel even better. "What are you doing in the city? I mean, what happened with your..." Beth trailed off.

"Dad?" Daryl raised an eyebrow. "I don' know an' I really don' care. 'M away from him now. All that matters," Daryl's reply was gruff.

"You live here now?" Beth asked.

"Yeah, I got a place o' my own. I needed ta be closer ta the action anyway."

"Speaking of action, what the hell are you mixed up in?" Beth said bluntly.

"I think it should be pretty obvious by now," Daryl scoffed. "Or did ya not realize it when ya were on the ground fightin' Michonne?"

"Who is that asshole, Merle anyway?" Beth asked sleepily through a yawn.

Daryl shook his head. "Ya seriously need ta be careful 'bout how ya talk 'bout him. He was cool with ya t'night 'cause ya almost kicked Michonne's ass. But ya don' want him 'gainst ya."

"How did he end up in your life?" Beth blinked.

Daryl narrowed his eyes. "I thought I mentioned that I don' like questions."

"I thought I replied that I don't care," Beth smirked.

Daryl chuckled and leaned back into the couch, turning his body to face Beth a little more. "Where the fuck did you come from?"

Beth raised an eyebrow. "That's what I'm trying to ask you," she replied cheekily.

"Honestly, las' time I saw ya, ya couldn't even verse my ol' man. An' t'night, ya...fuck," Daryl breathed.

Beth's belly swirled at how Daryl cursed. "It wasn't that cool. I was just defending myself. I've been taking classes since that night," Beth cleared her throat, "I hated feeling helpless."

Daryl looked at her carefully. "'M still sorry 'bout that."

"Not your fault," Beth shrugged, running her bruised fingers through her wet hair.

"How's yer head?" Daryl asked.

"I really think it's okay. What about your ribs?"

"They fuckin' hurt," Daryl admitted and Beth couldn't help the incredulous laughter that burst out of her.

"You were trying to act all tough and refuse the pills. Take some," Beth urged with a smile.

Daryl's jaw tightened. "I don' need them."

"Seriously? You hurt, take them."

"This may be hard fer ya ta understand since ya jus' pranced in an' got into a fight, but this is my life. I have ta get used ta the pain. If I let m'self feel it then I'll remember ta block myself better next time," Daryl said under his breath.

Beth's eyes widened. "Are you a masochist? Why would you want that?"

Daryl looked over at her with that familiar flash of anger in his eyes. "You don' fuckin' know me. Don' pretend that ya do."

"I can assume more than you'd think, Daryl. And I don't know why the hell you're mixed up in this shit," Beth shot back.

"This is how I git by, Beth! It's my job. I ain't like ya, I don' get ta go ta school durin' the week an' go ta the club on a Saturday night. Instead I'm fightin' fer my life behind the club, gettin' the shit beat out o' me so I can pay my bills," Daryl spat and moved to the edge of the couch. Beth noticed his southern twang came out more the angrier he became.

"Why don't you just get a regular job?" Beth found herself replying because she couldn't seem to shut up.

"Ya, 'cause it's so fuckin' easy fer someone in my situation ta git hired anywhere. Ya don' git it. Besides, I make more doin' what I do in one night than I would at a mediocre job in a month."

"So you beat people up for money and you're okay with it. I seriously don't see what the appeal is! Maybe you wouldn't make that much at a real job but at least you'd have some dignity." Beth had no right to judge Daryl, she knew that. But she couldn't stop himself. Daryl brought out the argumentative side in her.

"Fuck this," Daryl stood up. "Yer deep in denial if ya really mean what ya jus' said. I saw that look in yer eyes tonight while ya were fightin'. Ya liked it."

"That's preposterous. It's a reckless and juvenile activity," Beth closed her eyes in frustration.

"I know that look 'cause it's the same one I git. The same one Merle, Michonne, an' all o' the guys git. Stop tryin' ta say ya don' see the appeal, ya felt powerful an' alive," Daryl urged but his voice was a bit quieter.

"I hated it," Beth retorted but she knew she was lying through her teeth. She hadn't hated it. Instead she sort of hated herself for not hating it.

"B'careful. Merle has an' eye out fer ya, an' he can be very persuasive. It's easier ta git sucked into it than ya think, Beth. Now if ya don' mind, I have better things ta do than spend my night bein' judged by a fuckin' stranger," Daryl said roughly.

Beth snapped her eyes open. She was still hot under the collar but she felt like an assjacket for behaving like that. Daryl was just trying to help her. "I'm sorry I snapped...it's just been as weird night, you know?" Beth said softly.

Daryl nodded. "Ya, I know. Try ta stay awake," he replied as he walked toward the door.

"Thanks for looking out for me," Beth turned her head toward him.

"I can't promise I'll be there next time," Daryl said seriously and looked Beth straight in the eyes.

"You think there's gonna be a next time?" Beth raised an eyebrow.

"Jus' watch yer back," Daryl licked at his lips, leaving the sentence hanging for a moment. "Things don' always work out like they did tonight."

Beth just stared as Daryl left her apartment, leaving her alone with her own startling thoughts. Merle wanted her to join up and apparently wasn't going to back down without a literal or figurative fight. But that was hardly as alarming to her as the reaction that Daryl had evoked in her; a mixture of anger, confusion, and maybe displaced passion. Beth hadn't quite put her finger on it.

However, the most shocking notion of all was the fact that Daryl was right. Beth felt invigorated and excited. She had enjoyed the fight. She had relished coming out on top.

As Beth pushed the bag of melting ice against her already numb temple, she pondered that maybe she wasn't exactly who she thought she was.


	6. And so it begins

**I loooooove you guys! I'll try to update 'Ain't No Rest For The Wicked' tonight, but I'm watching Boondocks Saints, and...Norman Reedus is just...fucking perfect. Don't ya agree? :) REVIEWS MAKE UPDATES COME FASTER!**

* * *

"Beth? Would you kindly remove your sunglasses, please?" Dr. Grimes stopped class to request.

Beth slumped down in her seat. "The light hurts my eyes," Beth tried, resisting the command.

"I prefer to see the eyes of my students so that I know they are paying attention," her professor replied sternly.

Beth took a deep breath and slowly moved her shades down her nose. She knew everyone was staring at her and there as no getting around it. Several gasps were followed by a complete silence when she unveiled the bruises around her eyes and the ones that were brushed across her temple.

She quickly pulled the hood of her sweatshirt over her head and looked at the teacher with a raised eyebrow, as if it ask if she was satisfied. Thankfully, Dr. Grimes continued on with his lecture, and it wasn't until the class was over that he talked to Beth again. With her bag slouched over her arm, Beth attempted to slink out of the door undetected when she was stopped by a hand on her arm. She flinched but calmly turned her head toward the man.

"Beth," Dr. grimes said in a low voice, "I'm concerned."

"Why?" Beth was on the immediate defense. "I've turned all my work in on time and I haven't missed a single class..."

Her professor looked her over from under his thick eyebrows. "I'm used to your usual make up, but I don't think that purple really suits you."

Beth looked down at the ground self-consciously. "Yes, well, I'm not a big fan of it either. But I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Not that it's anyone's business, but I tripped and fell down some stairs last weekend," Beth said in a clipped tone. "I have a class to get to, thanks for your concern." She left without another word. Dr. Grimes was just trying to be nice, but Beth didn't want anyone to know what had happened. Ever.  
_

"Do you want to go out tonight?" Maggie came and flopped onto the couch next to where Beth was studying, causing Beth's entire person to bounce several inches in the air.

"Nah, I have a lot of reading to do," Beth replied without looking up from her book.

"Beth. That's all you've been doing for the last two weeks. I swear, you never go anywhere besides school and work," Maggie complained.

Beth cleared her throat and readjusted herself in her seat. "It's just a really busy time of year and I don't want to get behind."

"What's up with you?" Maggie asked quietly and Beth finally met her eyes. "Ever since you allegedly fell down those stairs," Maggie air quoted, "you've been such a recluse."

"Maybe it messed up my head," Beth shrugged and laughed lightly.

Maggie was not amused. "What really happened that night? And don't bull shit me."

Beth gulped. "I told you what happened. It was an accident, nothing more," Beth said the vague words and knew they were partly true.

Maggie narrowed her eyes. "You don't lie to me, so I'm gonna trust you and let you be a nerd on a Saturday night."

Beth cracked a small smile. "Thanks. I just uh, have a lot of stuff going on." Beth motioned to the various textbooks and papers that surrounded her, but she was referring to other things. Much darker things.

Beth ducked when Maggie tried to muss her hair. "Okay, I'll see you later. Or tomorrow, if things go well tonight," Maggie waggled her eyebrows and smirked.

"Get outta here, loser." Beth threw a couch pillow at her.

Being left alone on a Saturday night really sucked, but being left alone to her thoughts was even worse. She knew she couldn't hide forever, but she just needed to until she could figure out what the hell she was going to do.  
_

She hadn't realized that she'd dozed off on the couch until a knock at her door roused her. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was just past one in the morning. Figuring it was a drunken Maggie, Beth ignored the knocking because that idiot had a key.

But the knocking persisted on. Beth stood up and stretched, her head had a dull throb from her awkward sleeping position on the couch. She stumbled over to the door and opened it without thinking.

"Why didn't you use your key? I was sleeping," Beth whined, her eyes still squinted closed.

"Sorry, Priss. Not who ya were expectin'."

Beth's eyes snapped open and she went pale as she was faced with Merle outside her door. "How the hell did you find out my address?" Beth glared.

"We have yer friend ta thank fer that," Merle grinned and reached an arm out to the area obscured by the wall, pulling back a guilty and angry looking Daryl.

"Beth, it wasn't like that," Daryl tried, pushing Merle off of him.

"There's no time fer small talk," Merle interrupted him. "We have big thangs ta discuss," he pushed passed a shocked Beth and walked into her apartment, leaving Daryl and Beth to stare at each other.

"Why the hell did you tell him where I lived?" Beth scathed.

"I swear I didn't. I- fuck," Daryl ran a hand over his hair. "I had yer address in my phone so that I could check in on ya if I ev'r needed ta. An' Merle stole my phone an' went through it. He's been houndin' me fer the last two weeks 'bout where ya were. I guess he figured that he might be able ta find a phone number in there. But-"

"He found something even better, my address," Beth shook her head.

"I'm so fucking sorry," Daryl whispered. "But it'll be better if ya just get this over with."

"Better for me, or better for you?" Beth retorted but pushed her door aside. "Come in. If he tries anything, I'll kick both of your asses."

Daryl actually smirked a little. "I'd like ta see ya try."

"Seriously don't tempt me. I get livid when someone wakes me up. You're walking on thin ice already," Beth shut the door behind her.

She shivered when she felt Daryl next to her shoulder. "Really, I'd like ta see ya try," Daryl admitted quietly, his breath gently hitting Beth's neck.

Beth ignored the comment and walked over to where Merle had made himself comfortable on the couch, his legs stretched out and his arms behind his head. Beth hoped he cut himself with that stupid knife he used as a hand. Wasn't that illegal? Beth snorted. She figured half the things the man did before he got out of bed in the morning were illegal.

"This is a nice place ya have here, Priss," Merle nodded, surveying his surroundings.

"My name is Beth, and I'm glad you enjoy what you see because you'll never be here again." Beth sat in an opposite chair and scowled.

Daryl snorted and Merle smiled widely. "Ya have ta fight, Priss."

"I don't have to do anything. I have a life. One that is free of delinquency, thank you." Beth crossed her legs and brushed the hair out of her face. She glanced over and saw that Daryl was still standing, halfway between her and Merle and at an apparent impasse.

"Let me put it this way, ya could make ten thousan' in one night. Hell, even more than that 'cause o' yer looks."

"Where does this money come from?" Beth asked and Daryl and Merle both looked slowly to the ground. "Somewhere illegal, I'll bet. Yeah, no."

"That ain't temptin' ta ya? That much money?" Daryl's voice was bright and Beth was a little alarmed to see how pleased she was by the prospect.

"No. Not at all. You really don't expect someone like me to fight men the size of a train, do you?" Beth quirked an eyebrow at Daryl.

"They hav'a woman's league. Ya'd be surprised at some o' the chicks out there. Their tough." Daryl stuck his hands in his pockets and looked over to Merle.

"We all git a cut o' the winnins'. If ya win, we win," Merle said diplomatically. "We don' fight as a team, but we win as a team."

"So I'm the only one who's getting beat to hell and the rest of you get to reap the benefits?" Beth scoffed. "That hardly seems fair." Beth couldn't believe that she actually appeared to be negotiating. This wasn't right, nothing was up for discussion. Or at least nothing should have been up for discussion.

"We all take our turn," Daryl piped up. "We make it even, fair."

"Each member o' our team brings somethin' special, an' Priss, we got nothin' like ya," Merle licked his lips.

"I'm not going to fill your empty mold for a female who can mess someone up. You'll have to keep looking." Beth looked down at her fingernails, trying to feign disinterest. But truthfully, she was bubbling up inside. She was flattered and excited that they wanted her.

"Enough! I ain't negotiatin' here. I will have ya. If I don' git ya, yer life will be hell. I know where ya live, I know ya have a sister that left several hours ago, an' I can fin' out a lot more, quickly," Merle growled and Beth finally found it in herself to be scared.

"Merle, she said no. Let's jus' leave her alone," Daryl tried to intervene.

"Shut the fuck up!" Merle snapped. "Ya' stuck up fer this girl enough. An' ya made yerself look like a pussy when ya wouldn' fight her. Yer opinion don' mean shit ta me righ' now."

Daryl glanced at Beth, a look of remorse in his eyes. "Can I at least have the rest of the weekend to think about it?" Beth offered, not necessarily intending on giving in but wanting the angry man out of her apartment.

Merle took a deep breath, his demeanor once again slipping back into a charismatic one. "Sure, Priss. I'll have Dixon leave ya my number. If I don' hear from ya, I'll come lookin' again," he said as he leaned forward on his knees.

"Fine. Just leave for now, please," Beth replied in a tight voice.

"I'm gon'," Merle laughed a little evilly. "Dixon, don' be far behind me. If we're goin' ta be fightin' wit' her then I don' want ya gettin' friendly," he warned as he left from whence he came.

Beth grimaced at that and Daryl simply looked down at the ground. "I'm so sorr-"

"I know," Beth cut him off and held up a hand. "I just...I just need to think about this."

"Ya might say yes?" Daryl asked in a surprised voice.

Beth looked up at him, licking her lips. "It doesn't seem that I have much of a choice."

"I can keep him 'way from ya, I can try ta-"

"I can handle myself," Beth huffed, cutting Daryl off once again.

"When did ya become so fuckin' tough?" Daryl asked as he leaned against the wall.

Beth looked down at her nails. "I think it was always in me. It was just dormant, waiting for something to let it out."

"I ain't gonna lie, it's kind o' cool," Daryl bit his lip and smirked.

"You think it's hot," Beth teased and Daryl went stiff. "Okay seriously, why do you always tense up when I joke like that?"

Daryl shook his head. "I don't." Daryl insisted but his tone was indeed very tense.

Beth laughed bitterly. "If we do end up fighting together, you have to deal with the fact that I'm taking a liking to you. So if your uncomfortable with it, then sorry."

"Ya shouldn't assume thangs that ya don' know nothin' 'bout," Daryl said under his breath, his jaw going tight, just as it had during their last argument.

"I don't know you, but I can read your body language pretty well. I make you uncomfortable, and I'm guessing it's because you're worried that I'll attempt to jump your bones any second. And not in the fighting sort of way," Beth finished and leaned back in her chair.

Daryl wrung his hands. "Ya need ta lose the attitude or I really will kick yer ass. Whether we on the same side er not. I'm outta here."

"Listen, you need to stop being so tense and mysterious and shit, always needing to suddenly leave. I'm sick of not knowing what you're thinking," Beth raised her voice.

"Ya aint been 'round me enough ta have a clue 'bout who I am er what I'm thinkin'! Why do ya even care?" Daryl held out his hands in exasperation.

"I can usually read people really easily! And with you, I don't have a clue. It's really frustrating, okay," Beth finally admitted.

Daryl was quiet for a moment. "So yer pissed 'cause ya don' know what I'm thinkin'?"

"In part, yes," Beth immediately replied.

"Are ya gonna keep actin' like a dick 'til ya have a read on me?" Daryl questioned.

A dick? Beth sighed. "Probably." Beth knew her own faults and could easily predict her behavior.

Daryl took a deep breath and squinted his eyes shut for a moment before- "I think yer really fucking sexy. After ya fought Merle an' I came back here with ya, all I wanted ta do was show ya how much that fight turned me on. But as Merle said, I can't git friendly with ya, in any sense o' the word. So whether we fightin' on the same side er not, nothin' is gonna happen. Here's Merle's number," Daryl put a piece of paper on the coffee table. "If ya don' call, he will deliver on his promise ta come find ya again," Daryl said quickly and then strode toward the door.

"Wait!" Beth called out after letting Daryl's words sink in for a moment.

Daryl paused with his hand on the doorknob. "What," he whispered.

"You were...turned on by me?" Beth's voice shook. "

Daryl slowly turned around. "It don' matter. There ain't nothin' we can do 'bout it."

"I won't tell, but...your attractive to, you know..." Beth nodded quickly.

Daryl's blue eyes turned black. "It's hard ta resist somethin' as sweet lookin' as yerself...but, I guess I'm gonna hav' ta try."

Beth didn't answer, but rather tried to process all of this new information. "Yer face healed well," Daryl said softly, interrupting Beth's thoughts. It was mind boggling how he could go from completely feral to calm in a quick second.

"I had to say I fell down some stairs. Like a clumsy idiot," Beth smiled wryly.

"Wish ya coulda told the truth. I think people would've been pretty impressed," Daryl smiled back and Beth stared at his mouth in slight awe for a moment before snapping back to reality.

"Not the people I run with. How are your ribs?" Beth asked with concern.

"Healin'. They hurt like hell fer the first few days. They feel pretty good t'day, though," Daryl smiled and rubbed his hand gently over the afflicted area.

"God, your smile is seriously amazing," Beth blurted out.

Daryl closed his lips over his teeth. "I think it's goofy."

"It's nice," Beth countered and let her tongue run lightly over her bottom lip, still looking at Daryl's mouth.

"Ya should stop," Daryl said in a strained voice.

"Why?" Betj looked up at his eyes, which wasn't any safer.

"You make me wanna..." Daryl bit his tongue.

"I think you should," Beth said with a shiver and leaned a little closer.

Daryl closed his eyes and let his head rest against the door. "We can't. Ya don' understand. If anyone found out there was somethin' going on, we would be fucked."

"What do you mean?" Beth asked, but her mind was still on putting her lips against Daryl's.

"It would git messy. But I don' need ta tell ya the details, 'cause it's irrelevant. We ain't gonna be anythin', darlin'."

Beth glared. "Like I wanted anything, anyway."

Daryl smirked lightly. "Ya wanted it. Ya want me. Ya know there's somethin' 'tween us."

"Shut up. If we can't do anything about it then you can't talk about it. Neither of us can. Alright?" Beth dealt out.

"Fine. We won' talk 'bout it."

"But it will still be there," Beth chewed her bottom lip.

"But we'll ignore it," Daryl offered.

"Yes, we will," Beth said resolutely. "Tell Merle that he'll be hearing from me soon."

Daryl narrowed his eyes. "Are ya goin' ta tell him yes?"

"I- don't know yet," Beth admitted.

"I won' let him hurt ya," Daryl whispered. "No matter what ya decide."

"Why would you bother with protecting me?" Beth asked meekly.

"'Cause o' the thing that we aint supposed ta talk 'bout," Daryl gave a small smile. "Maybe see ya 'round?" he asked and ducked his head in a goodbye gesture.

"Yeah, see you," Beth breathed out.

After the door was shut behind Daryl, Beth locked it and put her back against the wood, sliding down to the ground. She rested her head on her knees, the feeling of being so close to Daryl was still buzzing through her.

Once she had collected herself, she went over and grabbed the piece of paper that had been left on the coffee table. It had Merle's number scribbled on it, but it had Daryl's, too.


	7. Dr Morris

**Chapter 7 my lovelies :) review!**

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"Thank you for meeting me here." Beth sat down at the table across from her graduate school advisor and mentor, Dr. Morris. They were at a tiny cafe where people came to drown themselves in homework, coffee, and over-priced pastries.

"Of course, but what was so urgent that you needed to see me on a Sunday?" Dr. Morris adjusted his shirt as Beth removed sunglasses.

Beth blew out a deep breath. "I- don't think I can tell you the details. But I want to know, hypothetically, how much trouble someone would be in if they agreed to participate in an illegal activity because they would be threatened otherwise?" Beth rushed out.

"Whoa, wait. Is this really hypothetical or is there actually something going on with you, Beth?" Dr. Morris folded his newspaper in half.

Licking her lips, Beth looked down at her lap. "You know how doctors and patients have that confidentiality agreement? A doctor cannot share a patient's medical information with anyone unless given permission."

"I am vaguely aware of that," Morris rolled his eyes in sarcasm. "How is that pertinent to what's going on now?"

"Could we maybe have something like that between us? Because, I really need someone I can trust and who I can talk to if something goes badly, but they cannot tell anyone else anything." Beth raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"I think I would have to know what the situation is before I agree to anything of the sort," Morris replied decidedly.

"But, I can't tell you if you're going to rat me out to someone else!"

"It's pretty clear that it might be what's best for you." Dr. Morris was stubborn. Brilliant, but stubborn.

Beth regretted coming. She had opened this doorway for an innumerable amount of questions and she knew that Morris wasn't going to let it go. At the same time, she really needed someone she trusted to be aware of what she was getting into, just in case. She couldn't go to Carl because that dude would flat out tell her to stay away from it all, even if it put she herself at risk. He was a fucking good and frustrating friend like that.

So Beth lied, but not entirely. "I finally decided what I want to write my dissertation on," she blurted out.

Morris's brow crinkled in confusion. "That's great but, again, what does that have to do with anything?"

Beth went for it. "The topic I'm writing about, it's still in the rough stages, but um..." She wrung her hands under the table. "I found a way to get involved in very hands-on research." Beth smirked inwardly at the extended meaning.

"And?" Morris motioned with his wrinkled hand.

"It's a little bit dangerous, I guess you could say. Or potentially so. I just need someone to touch base with to ensure that I'm still alive, you know?" Beth tried to choke out a laugh.

"Beth, no brilliant topic is worth getting hurt over. What are you getting into?"

"I sort of met some street fighters, and since I've already decided that I'm interested in criminal psychology, I thought it would be a good opportunity," Beth breathed out. "They won't hurt me," she added. Beth wasn't really lying; if she agreed to fight with them then it was the other fighters, the unknowns that could hurt her. "But I know it's a dangerous environment, and if I could just email you occasionally and let you know how it's going, I know it would make me feel a lot better."

"I don't know, Beth..." Dr. Morris leaned his chin into his hand, rubbing at the skin there in contemplation. "You can trust these people?"

Beth gulped. "I'm going to try to earn their trust. I'll have to if I want the research that I need."

She was fucked. Not only was she possibly signing her life away to be a law-breaker, but now she had to do school work on top of it.

"The second anything goes wrong, you tell me. Text me before you meet up with them, text me after you leave. I won't tell anyone about this, but I want you to talk with me through the process."

"R-really?" Beth asked, eyes wide. "You approve of this?" Beth had to remind herself that she had not just asked Morris if he thought it was a good idea to fight, but rather to write a paper about fighting.

"We have limited research in the psychology behind street fighting. It could really open up some doors for you, and for the department. I think that if you really believe you are able to do this, then you should give it a shot." Morris took a quick sip of his coffee. "I have to get going. Beth, I'm trusting you to not get yourself into a precarious situation."

Beth just nodded, entirely confused by the trajectory of the conversation that had just taken place. That wasn't how she had planned it at all.

She watched Morris leave through the door and she couldn't help but think about how precarious a situation she was already in. But she had a choice. She could voluntarily put herself in the way of a danger that she knew; choosing to fight with Merle and his crew. Or she could face the unknown threats to her and those around her by denying the demand to join up.

At least she had a trustworthy adult that was vaguely aware of what she was surrounding herself with. If the shit hit the fan, she could call on Dr. Morris. It wasn't much of a comfort, but it was something.

"Damn," Beth whispered and ran a nervous hand through her hair. The clock was ticking; the weekend was close to over. She had to decide, and she had to do it right then.

As Beth walked back to her apartment, her jacket pulled tight around her in the fading sun, she pulled out her phone with her cold fingers. She scrolled through the names in her contacts before finding the one that she had to call, the one that was surely expecting her.

"Hello?" the familiar voice answered.

"Hey, it's Beth. Can you meet me somewhere for a little bit?"

"It's fuckin' freezin' out 'ere," Daryl complained as he came to join Beth on the bench at his favorite park.

"My sister is home, so," Beth offered in way of explanation.

"We couldn' have gon' fer coffee?" Daryl tried.

"I don't want to get cozy and make this a big thing," Beth replied dryly.

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Fine, then let's make it quick. What do ya want?"

Beth narrowed his eyes at him. "You know what's up. Kind of working out a huge decision right now."

Daryl flicked his finger back and forth against his chapped lips. "Ya, I guess I do."

"How bad is it going to be if I say no?" Beth asked in a whisper.

Daryl stretched his legs out in front of him and sighed deeply. "I've seen it git pretty bad. Merle, he ain't a terrible guy. He jus' wants what he wants, an' he don' stop until he gits it."

"Yeah, sounds like a real model citizen," Beth scoffed.

"He ain't bad if he's on yer side. Really. I actually think he fuckin' cares 'bout us," Daryl's voice did not hide his surprise. "But when ya stand in the way o' what he wants, it gits pretty bad." Daryl looked over at Beth, worry present in his eyes.

"So, you're saying I should agree."

"I didn' say that. The choice is yers, Beth." Daryl held up a hand. "I told ya, if ya don' wan' ta do it; I'll make sure he don' hurt ya."

"How the hell are you going to do that?" Beth challenged.

Daryl laughed bitterly. "I ain't gotta fuckin' clue. But I'll try my best, ya know?"

"And what about his threats against the people in my life? How will you protect us all at once?" Beth pestered, disbelieving.

Daryl bit his lower lip and looked down at where his finger was tracing an absentminded circle on the knee of his jeans. "I guess I wouldn' be able ta."

"So, you admit you're not superman, good. At least there's something realistic and believable about this whole circumstance." Beth shook her head.

Daryl chuckled. "Ya really feisty. I honestly think ya be good, Priss."

"Don't you call me that, too!" Beth protested.

"Ya gotta have a stage name, darlin'. I think it suits ya." Daryl shrugged.

"It makes me sound weak."

"'Exactly. Nobody will see what's a comin' when they fight ya."

Beth pursed her lips and thought this over. "I guess you're right. I am sort of unpredictable."

"Ya, ya are," Daryl said quietly, and Beth looked over to meet her eyes. Their faces were so close to each other and Beth didn't know when they had come to be that way. In the few seconds that they remained like that, their lips started to move toward each other. Like magnets.

"Is this going to be a problem?" Beth backed up quickly and motioned between the two of them, her voice shaky.

Daryl let his gaze drop to Beth's chest for a moment before reaching her eyes once again. "Not if we don' let it be. Meetin' in a fuckin' cold park was a good idea. Nothin' 'bout this environment makes me want ta remove any clothin'." Daryl laughed but moved a little further away.

Beth nodded in agreement but then had a thought. "But what about when I'm fighting? What if I get hot and sweaty while I beat the hell out of someone?" Beth's words surprised her. She was using the prospect of fighting as a form of flirting.

"Then I'm jus' goin' ta have ta find someone ta fight, too, ta keep my mind off o' ya," Daryl smirked but it was strained. "We'll be fine. We can make it work. I promise I won' take advantage o' ya."

"How are you actually a good guy underneath all of the assholery and mystery?" Beth asked before thinking.

Daryl glared. "I don' claim ta be anythin' otha' than what I am. Somedays I'm more o' an asshole than others. It jus' so happens that ya don' piss me off as much as otha' people. Which is surprisin' 'cause ya never seem ta shut up."

Beth chuckled and playfully punched Daryl in the arm.

"Hey, now, we don' fight each other," Daryl teased. "'sides, yet holdin' yer fist wrong."

Beth held her breath as Daryl's firm hand closed over her own gloved one, carefully positioning the fingers.

"I know how to punch," Beth protested, but only barely.

"Mostly," Daryl replied. "But if ya hold it like this," Daryl let go of Beth's hand and then put his own fist in the same position, "ya inflict the most damage without receivin' as much."

Beth looked at Daryl and then at her fist, suddenly freaking out and doubting her skill. "What if I need somebody to train me? I'm not ready to fight for real," Beth asked, panicking.

"Merle will take care o' all of that. Don' worry." Daryl waved his hand in dismissal.

"You think I should say yes?"

"I think, it ain't my decision," Daryl retorted, frustratingly.

"I think I don't have much of a choice. But thank you, you've made me feel a bit better. Like I'm not going to die, or something."

"That's always nice ta hear," Daryl laughed.

"I'm gonna call him," Beth decided.

"Ya should text, instead. He ain't a big phone person," Daryl advised.

"That's easier, actually. He won't be able to hear my voice crack and transcend into another octave when I say 'yes'," Beth poked fun of herself as she pulled out her phone and sent the very text that would change her life.

-It's Priss. I'm in.

"Did ya take a likin' ta yer nickname?" Daryl read over her shoulder with a smirk.

Beth hid her phone from view; she loathed it when people read over her shoulder. "It's better than Dixon."

"Dixon is a bad ass name," Daryl huffed.

"How'd you get it, anyway?" Beth asked with a slight smile as she awaited Merle's reply.

"It's my last name."

"Daryl Dixon..."

"Ya."

Beth's face began to turn white as they were clouded with silence.

"What's wrong?" Daryl broke the silence with a whisper.

"You haven't...ever killed anybody during a fight, have you?"

"We don' ever fight ta the death, Beth," Daryl said very seriously.

"Not like you need to tell me. That's the last thing I want on my hands. Ewww-" Beth had a sudden moment of realization, "i'm gonna get blood and stuff on my hands, aren't I?"

Daryl laughed and rested his hands on his knees. "It's very possible. But blood washes off."

"Yeah, on the outside," Beth murmured, thinking of how she would never be able to fully atone for the damage she might cause someone.

"That's all that matters, what people can see," Daryl whispered.

"I have dozens of psychology books that beg to differ."

"I guess that's pro'bly true," Daryl gave up with a slight shrug of his shoulder and lit a cigarette. "But in this case, it's all that matters. Okay?"

Beth looked at Daryl's troubled expression and slowly nodded. "Okay."

Her phone buzzed and she looked down at it nervously.

-I had a feeling you'd say yes, kid. Text me tomorrow and I'll give you the place we're all going to meet tomorrow night.

Beth wrote back a quick reply and then dropped her head in her hands. "Dammit. What did I just do?" She asked herself but Daryl answered.

"Ya made the safest decision ya could when placed wit' two shitty options. It'll be fine."

Beth peeked out from between her fingers. "You know, you're surprisingly insightful," she mused.

"Don' tell anyone," Daryl replied with a grin, blowing smoke through his nose.

"Okay but you have to promise not to smile at me while I'm fighting. It's distracting," Beth admitted without her brain's permission.

Daryl's smile dropped. "Stop treatin' me like I'm a girl. Yer the one who's distractin'."

Beth bit her lip. "Yeah? How so?"

Daryl shook his head. "We ain't goin' there," he reprimanded. "Listen, I literally can' feel anythin' on my body. I think I'm goin' ta head off. Ya sure ya don' want that cup o' coffee?"

"Nope. Too cozy an environment," Beth repeated. "But I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Ya be seein' me a lot," Daryl corrected as he stood up.

Beth came to a standing position as well and in the process dropped his phone that was sitting on her lap. It epically shattered to pieces on the ground. "Shit, shit, shit," Beth groaned, dropping to her knees at the sight of the massacre.

"Oh, damn. That sucks," Daryl winced.

"God, yes it does. I can't afford another phone right now and it's not under warranty," Beth pitied herself.

Daryl crouched down next to her and helped her try to salvage the pieces of her once companion. "Ya be able ta afford a new phone really soon. A much nicer one," Daryl said quietly.

Beth looked at him. "That's wild."

"Ya git used ta it," Daryl smiled. "In the meantime, I'll jus' come by an' grab ya 'fore we meet up wit' Merle, tomorrow. It'll be late at night."

"Won't he be suspicious if we show up together?" Beth questioned, putting the scraps of her phone in her pocket.

"There's nothin' ta be suspicious o'," Daryl shrugged and stared at Beth carefully. "Right?"

"Right. Totally," Beth replied much too fast.

Daryl laughed. "I'll jus' drop by tomorrow night."

"But what about my sister?" Beth suddenly remembered. "She's usually home at night."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "I can already tell that gurl is goin' ta git on my nerves. Fine, meet me at the coffee shop on yer street at ten tomorrow night."

"But, but, too cozy, Daryl!" Beth sputtered, blushing at how it came out.

"Yer jus' gonna have ta deal wit' me in a cozy place. Practice yer resistance. It'll come in handy fer a lot o' things," Daryl smirked. "See ya tomorrow, darlin." He held his hand up in farewell without looking back over his shoulder.

A lot had changed for Beth in the short period of a day. But what was most troubling to her was that Daryl was turning out to be a kind of likable guy. This whole to do would have been a lot simpler if he was a dick who was easy to hate. As Beth walked, cellphone-less and vulnerable, she thought of one person who could help chill her out in that moment.

"Beth? Hey! I didn't know you were coming by." Carl opened the door with a huge grin and a lizard on his shoulder.

"Yeah, my phone is busted so I couldn't call. Looks like Larry is doing well," Beth said nervously as she stared at the reptile.

"Ahh, Larry is always good. What's up, though?" Carl opened the door to let Beth in.

"I was wondering if we could just...hang out. I don't really want to be alone right now."

Carl shut the door and looked at her with concern. "Is everything okay?"

Beth gave a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. You wouldn't really understand...girl things." She flicked her hand in the air with the lie.

Carl bit his lip before it split into a wide grin. "What the fuck do I know? I'm going to smoke!"

Beth was splayed out on the floor, her head touching Carl's. Thankfully, Larry had been placed back into his cage after Beth's intense paranoia of him had become obvious.

"Do you think I'm tough, Carl?" Beth lazily asked.

"Hm? Tough? I dunno. You're kind of delicate and shit," Carl yawned and stretched, bumping Beth's shoulder with his hand.

"Yeah but, do you think I could win in a fight?" Beth rambled on.

"Is this about the fight we watched the other night?" Carl suddenly sat up. "No fucking way! Those cuts and bruises you had after that night...did you get in a fight?"

"How do you know my soul so well?" Beth replied in a sing-song voice and sat up cross-legged. "I totally kicked a guy's ass."

"Beth, that's really dumb," Carl said seriously but then started cracking up. "Dude, I can't picture it."

Beth nodded excitedly. "I can't either! You just don't even know! I surprised myself and the rest of the guys. It was so coooool," Beth held out the last word and then coughed when she ran out of air.

"Why share all of this with me? If Maggie found out, she would shit a brick." Carl narrowed his blurry eyes.

"You won't tell her, right? She would be livid," Beth pleaded.

"Nah, your secret is safe with me and Larry." Beth cringed at the mention of the lizard. "Why do you hate Larry so much?" Carl tried not to pout, but failed.

"I don't hate him! I just...green things. They freak me out, okay."

"All green things?" Carl asked with wide and alarmed eyes.

"Most of them, probably," Beth responded nonchalantly. "So, what if I fought some more?"

"What if you just jumped in front of a train?" Carl shot back. "That's stupid."

"So are drugs, Carl," Beth challenged.

"Yeah, but at least I won't get my nose broken by doing drugs. Except for that one time that I sort of fell down the stairs because I thought I was flying," Carl recalled.

"Would you watch me fight?" Beth was being entirely too candid about the truth.

Carl rubbed his eyes. "If you were good, maybe. Wouldn't want to see you get all fucked up."

"You're fucked up, right now," Beth teased and they both started laughing. "Enough talk of fights! I must get back to the homestead before Maggie starts to worry like the girl that she is. Can you text her and tell her my phone broke and I'm on the way?"

Carl nodded and looked like he was about to fall asleep.

"Thanks for distracting me," Beth smiled as she stood up like a newborn horse, falling into the couch.

"Anytime. I'll see if I can get like a red jacket for Larry. So he won't be so green, you know," Carl offered what he thought was a brilliant plan.

"'Kay, sounds great!" Beth lied.

The cold air was enough to relinquish Beth from his second hand buzz and distraction. She noticed that she was hyperaware when she passed alleys and corners of buildings; waiting for someone to jump out. She hadn't really thought about it before, but in joining forces with Merle, she automatically made herself new enemies. Ones that she had never even encountered before. They would all know who she was; she wasn't the type that could blend into a crowd. She ducked her head and walked faster, hoping that she really had made the safer decision out of the two


	8. We're brothers

**Thank you for all of the reviews, and follows I received on the last chapter, I really do appreciate it :) I try to respond to all of my reviewers, but it being so close to the holidays I hardly have time! But I promise that I won't let Christmas get in the way of my updates :) I'm on the airplane on the way home from GA, which was exciting. I got to see the infamous Greene farm! Anyways! Here's chapter 8 :) love you all!**

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The night was dark, cold, and nonetheless foreboding as Daryl and Beth approached a massive warehouse that surely housed dead bodies and criminal secrets. Beth gulped and looked over at Daryl for a moment, who seemed to be perfectly at home. Finding no solace in this, Beth simply steeled herself and trudged behind him.

"By the way, where did ya tell yer sister ya were goin'?" Daryl questioned, a dark eyebrow raised.

"To the library to study," Beth shrugged. "She believes that easily. I'm a good student."

Daryl bit his lip. "Bein' book-smart will hardly help ya win a fight, Priss."

Beth narrowed her eyes. "We will see about that." She was actually counting on a fair amount of her psychological knowledge to be put to good use; getting inside an opponent's head could be just as dangerous as smashing it with one's fist.

Daryl slid the rusted metal door aside and it gave a shuddering groan, one that reverberated through Beth's body in a similar manner. Clutching her gloved hands in each other, she walked forward when Daryl gave a silent motion with his hand.

It was dark at first, until Daryl closed the door and harsh overhead fluorescent lights clicked on inside the massive space. Merle stalked from around the corner of a pile of crates, revealing his ever-stony exterior, a wicked smirk seemingly permanent on his face. Michonne was slowly treading behind him, hands on her hips.

"Priss, welcome ta my fortress," he approached with his arms held wide, the knife glittering in the light.

"Some fortress," Beth replied snidely and Merle snarled.

"Where are the guys?" Daryl asked, his voice laced with confusion.

"They ain't comin' tonight. Didn' want ta overwhelm our shiny new commodity," Merle smiled evilly.

Beth rolled her eyes and looked around for a place to sit, about to open her mouth to complain of the lack of chairs when suddenly she was punched instead.

Beth stumbled backward, holding her hand over her mouth and tasting blood. "What the fuck?" She glared at Michonne who was rubbing her knuckles.

"Ya have ta expect ta git yer ass kicked even when there aint a fight. Be aware o' yer surroundin's at all times an' always assume that somebody is 'bout ta punch ya in the face," Merle replied conversationally.

Daryl looked over at Beth with an almost apologetic shrug. "He's righ', ya need t always be on the lookout."

Beth huffed and wiped the back of her hand over her lip. "That doesn't mean you can just punch me in the face whenever you Goddamn please."

"Fine. I won't punch you again without you being aware that it's coming. Unless you piss me off. How's that?" Michonne offered and Beth nodded her head slowly, still rather perturbed but finding the deal fair considering the circumstances.

Merle cracked his neck. The sound made Beth shudder. "Ya got some natural talent, kid, but ya lack a certain fine-tunin'. Fer instance, ya racked Michonne an' basically took her down fer the count."

Beth hid her smirk and nodded obediently. "I've only taken self-defense classes, I'm not great on the offense."

"Defense is half the fight, so that's a start. But ya need ta work wit' someone closely an' build up yer strength..." Merle walked up to Beth, grabbing her arm and squeezing, despite Beth's attempts to pull away. "This is fuckin' weak," he emphasized each word with a pulse on Beth's bicep.

"It's stronger than it used to be," Beth murmured back, glaring a little.

"Darylina is goin' ta help ya train," Merle smirked over at the vested man.

"Wait, what? Surely Knox would be better fer that. He has more..." Daryl looked over at Beth with indiscernible eyes. "Patience."

"Exactly, dickhead. Ya need ta learn a lesson in patience, an' Priss here needs ta learn how ta fight without compromisin' anyone's balls."

Beth furrowed her brow, she hadn't thought that Daryl would be the one to train her, she couldn't imagine fighting against him, even if it wasn't for real. "Why can't you train me?" Beth directed her question at the ringmaster. She heard Michonne scoff.

"'cause I don' have time fer that shit," Merle spat back. "Daryl here, he has tons o' it now that he's 'way from our daddy."

"Our daddy?" Beth repeated. Her eyes flicked to Daryl who's gaze was towards the floor.

Daryl's jaw set tight and Merle chuckled. "Were brothers, ain't we baby brother?."

"Shut the fuck up," Daryl blurted out. "I'll train her."

"Great, not like ya had a choice," Merle smirked.

"Asshole," Daryl grinned back and Beth watched the exchange with much confusion.

"Hello? What if I don't want him to train me?" She raised her hand up, a look of defiance on her face.

Merle looked over at her like he'd forgotten she was there, an almost bored expression on his face. "Ain't my problem, kid. He's yer keeper now." Merle shoved Daryl on the shoulder, pushing him more toward Beth. "I'll be expecting a full report on this shit tomorrow, Dixon. Fer now, I got a pretty little thang wit' some hot lips waitin' fer me down the street." He wiggled his eyebrows, his lips and hand making an obscene and implicit gesture while he walked out the rusty door.

Daryl rolled his eyes, his jaw still somewhat tight as he looked Beth up in down in a silent appraisal. Beth started to squirm a little under the scrutiny. "Um...is this part of your technique? To stare and make me wildly uncomfortable?" Beth crossed her arms over her chest, her gloved fingers curling around her biceps.

Daryl lazily shrugged a shoulder, licking at the corner of his lips. "I'm jus' tryin' ta figure out the best approach ta this. I mean, ya ain't got no experience, yer weak, an' worst o' all, ya don' know when ta shut yer fuckin' mouth." Daryl spat out the last part and Beth fought to keep from supporting Daryl's argument by opening her mouth when she knew she shouldn't. Instead she just offered a faint nod.

Daryl did a circle around Beth, still looking over his new project. Beth remained still with her shoulders held back, only flinching when Daryl's chest pressed up against her from behind. Taking a deep breath, Beth watched as Daryl's fingers slid from her shoulders to straighten out her arms from their crossed stance. "Wh-what are you doing?" Beth swallowed thickly, trying to keep her voice level.

"Tryin' ta git ya ta relax," Daryl murmured back, his hands smoothing up and down Beth's forearms slowly and his breath warm on base of Beth's neck.

"I thought.." Beth cleared her throat. "I thought Merle said I need to be on guard all of the time."

"There's a difference 'tween bein' on guard an' bein' fuckin' uptight," Daryl finished and moved back to Beth's front, looking her in the eyes with a deep stare. "Ya don' wan' ta be rigid an' look like yer askin' fer a fight o' yer afraid ta be beat up. One o' the key offensive moves is ta act like ya don' care," he licked his lips, his eyes widening slightly. "Like, hey, yer gonna punch me in the gut? Eh, I don' give a shit," Daryl emphasized his nonchalant line with a limp shrug and confident look.

"That's..." Beth furrowed her brow, blinking a few times. "Kind of stupid," she blurted out.

Daryl's face went back to its typical glare. "Maybe so but trust me, it works. Let me ask ya somethin'. If ya go up 'gainst a guy who looks like he's 'bout ta piss his pants as opposed ta a guy that looks like he'll kick yer ass an' then open his beer bottle wit' yer belt buckle while yer still passed out- who are ya going ta be afraid o'?"

Beth conceded with a deep sigh. "Okay, fine, you're right." She shrugged her shoulders, making a conscious effort to try to loosen up. "I've always been a little more...tightly wound, I guess."

"Nah, you?" Daryl looked to Beth's perfectly curled hair and simple applied makeup, glancing pointedly over his thoughtfully put together ensemble, a sardonic smile on his face.

"Piss off." Beth held up her middle finger before slipping off her jacket, tossing it onto one of the rickety crates. "Try to punch me or something. I'm getting annoyed."

Daryl scoffed. "Yer goin' ta be doin' the punchin' fer a while, Priss. Here," he held up his right hand flat, his chapped lips slightly pursed. "Hit it as hard as ya can."

Beth raised her brow, her fist balling up immediately upon request, swinging it back and pushing it forward until it impacted against Daryl's wrist.

"Fuck," Daryl rubbed his wrist, shaking his head. "Look where yer aimin' this time, come on." He held up his hand again, a flash of annoyance on his face.

"Merle said you needed to be patient," Beth mumbled under her breath, punching Daryl's hand with more determination this time and feeling proud when she was able to hit Daryl's palm; her target.

"Better, but that was still weak," Daryl murmured more to himself, his hand coming to his chin in silent thought. "I think we're goin' ta have ta build up yer strength 'fore we can git more decent punches out o' ya," he sighed in a sound of resignation.

"Hey, I can punch, I just don't want to break your hand," Beth retorted, feeling slightly ashamed about her lack of upper body strength.

"Oh really?" Daryl looked almost pleased, cracking his knuckles and holding his hand up steadily again. "Show me," he whispered, looking Beth straight in the eyes.

Beth bit her bottom lip, quickly dropping her gaze from Daryl's distracting stare, flexing and unflexing her fist several times before getting it ready. She took a deep breath, swinging her arm back slowly and bent it at the elbow, pushing it through the air swiftly and hitting Daryl's hand with a firm and resounding smack.

Daryl made a soft groan, quickly closing his hand and looking down at it for a beat, his eyes lifting back to Beth's questioningly. "Ya knew ya could do that?"

"Honestly, not really, but I'm pretty determined when someone underestimates me." Beth tucked a misplaced lock of hair behind her ear, an impassive look on her face and cool confidence defining her exterior.

Daryl's lips turned up into a smirk. "There it is. That confidence right there, that's what ya need ta win a fight an' Priss, let me tell ya somethin' now, everybody is goin' to underestimate ya."

Beth rubbed her lips together, her eyes lighting up, much to her own astonishment. "Then they'll be in for a hell of a surprise."  
_

The alarm went off with a shrill beep that Beth had learned to tune out. Because of this, she set a second alarm that had literally the most annoying noise in the entire world. Not only that, but she placed it across the room so she would have to at least get out of bed to turn it off, making the chances of her staying out of bed a little bit higher.

Lugging herself from the comfort of her bed, she lumbered over to her second and fucking annoying alarm and shut it off with a loud groan before faceplanting back on her bed. She knew it was Monday and that she had class, but she was so sore all over from training with Daryl. After she had shown her ability to punch, Daryl had made her do it over and over and with her left hand, too. Beth hadn't realized the amount of muscle such an action took. Maybe she really did need to start lifting weights.

She was just about to drift back off when a heavy weight that she knew too well took up residence on her ass.

"Maggie, get off my butt," Beth murmured into her pillow.

"Nah, it's cool. It's bony and uncomfortable which means that I won't stay and skip class like I might if I was eating my cereal on the comfy couch, for instance."

Beth lifted her head, looking back at her sister. "Are you seriously eating a bowl of cereal while sitting on my ass?"

"Yep," Maggie shrugged, spooning more Apple Jacks into her mouth.

"Get off, I have to pee," Beth carefully lifted her hips enough to rattle Maggie but not enough to get cold milk spilled on herself and her bed.

"Fine," Maggie let out a deep and fake disappointed sigh. "Why are you so grumpy, anyway?" Maggie stood up, keeping a careful watch on Beth while chomping on her cereal.

Beth blearily stood out of bed for the second time, lifting up both shoulders. "No clue, I guess 'cause it's Monday and I have a term paper due tomorrow that I haven't really started." Beth made her way to the bathroom to relieve herself.

"Well, you'll have the apartment to yourself to nerd out," Maggie called out with his mouth full. "I'm going out with Glenn again."

"Glenn?" Beth questioned back, shoving her toothbrush with toothpaste in her mouth.

"Just a boy I met at the club."

Beth finished brushing her teeth, rinsing her mouth with water after and leaning on the doorframe with a smirk on her minty fresh lips. "The Asian?"

"Shut up," Maggie glared, eating her last bite of Apple Jacks with dramatic defiance before stomping out the door.

Beth couldn't even find the energy to laugh. Instead she just rolled her eyes and awkwardly got dressed while her muscles protested in ache. She was just grabbing her school bag when her phone for the time being buzzed. She had borrowed an old one of Maggie's since she had broken her. Looking down at it with squinted eyes, she emitted a long sigh.

Daryl: Training tonight, 9:30pm.

Beth huffed, shaking her head and quickly shooting back a text saying that she had a paper to write. She had agreed to buy into their little fighting game and be trained, but they couldn't reasonably expect her to devote every night to the craft. Especially not a Monday night when she had more important things to do like schoolwork.

She glanced in the mirror and grabbed her keys by the front door, looking down at Daryl's name once again illuminating her screen. With a silent curse she turned her phone off and put it in her bag, not looking at it once for the remainder of the day.  
_

It was approximately 10:30pm when there was a pounding on her bedroom door. Beth was entirely immersed in the writing of her paper and the empty Red Bull cans and chip bags were a clear sign of that. Her hair was a mess and her head was starting to throb from staring at the computer screen. The last thing she needed was Maggie bugging her.

"Piss off! I thought you were going to be gone all night!" Beth shouted in annoyance over her shoulder. She was only further miffed when she heard her door actually open. Before she could turn around and tell Maggie to get out, she was frozen by the familiar and deep voice of someone she wasn't expecting to ever be in her bedroom- and this voice was not a happy one.

"Where the fuck were ya?" Daryl spat out harshly.

Beth spun around in her office chair quickly, her thick-rimmed glasses still in place which made her expression of indignation rather comical. "I've been working my ass off on a paper that's worth 40% of my grade. I told you what I'd be doing. But..how the hell did you get in here?"

Daryl limply shrugged a shoulder, his face still hardened. "When ya do the shit that I do, ya know how ta do other illegal thangs too, I guess."

"Like breaking and entering? I could call the cops, you know!" Beth stood up, smoothing down her wrinkled shirt.

"An' what? Tell them that the guy who's trainin' ya ta street fight broke into yer apartment?" Daryl scoffed, leaning against the wall and shaking his head. "I waited fer ya fer forty-five fuckin' minutes, Beth. This ain't a joke. This is serious." Daryl moved forward into Beth's space, causing her to back up a little. "Ya be fightin' in a few weeks whether yer ready o' not. Ya could die in that fight o' git critically injured. But no, writin' yer fancy little paper is more valuable than yer fuckin' life!" Daryl's glare and voice were intense and Beth was speechless.

"I...um.." She looked down, noticing her socks were mismatched and felt even more vulnerable than usual in the presence of Daryl. "I'm sorry," Beth almost whispered.

"What was that?" Daryl put a hand to his ear, up against his dirty brown hair.

"I said I'm sorry, alright." Her arms crossed over her chest and her stare met Daryl's. "I guess I'm still trying to get used to all of this. I've been purely academic for years now and not so much the rough and tumble type."

A small smirk formed on Daryl's pink lips. "Ya talk like an ol' man sometimes, ya know?"

Beth rolled her eyes but she was grateful that she wasn't being yelled at anymore. "Listen...tomorrow, can we make up for tonight? I really need to finish this paper."

"No. I told ya we would train tonight an' that's what's goin' ta happen. Not my fault ya be out later than ya would have been," Daryl gave her an unsympathetic look, his gaze dropping over Beth's attire, having never seen Beth so disheveled. "Yer dressed like an ol' man, too.. Maybe we should change yer name from Priss." A low chuckle came from Daryl's throat, followed by a faint grin. "Change yer clothes an' meet me out there in five minutes."

Beth grumbled but she did what she was told, after surveying herself in the mirror for a moment to see if she did in fact look like an old man. Daryl made her self-conscious and on edge, but she knew she needed to get this over with so she could get back to her paper.

When she left his bedroom to find Daryl looking at her pictures on her fireplace mantle, ahe felt even more exposed. She took a silent second to admire the back of Daryl in his brown ripped flannel and black jeans; his tanned muscled arms impossible to ignore.

"Maybe I should take a picture o' myself an' put it up here, that way ya wouldn' have ta stare so much," Daryl's voice startled Beth from her reverie.

"Erm...what?" Beth busied himself with looking down at her shoes while Daryl turned slowly to look at her with an amused smirk.

"Don' worry, I'll teach ya ta have eyes in the back o' yer head too, Priss. Come on. I'm still pissed at ya, by the way," Daryl said casually as he walked out the door, expectant of Beth to follow.

Which she did. She didn't know why. Before Daryl, her paper would have taken precedence over anything else. But things were different now, and she wasn't as perturbed by that thought as she should have been.


	9. You're a freak, aren't you?

**Here's chapter 9 my lovelies :)**

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Beth opened the text from Dr. Morris with a cringe while she walked out of a coffee shop, squinting to read the screen so she wouldn't be immediately assaulted by her professor's reprimanding. The thing was, Beth hadn't been as on top of keeping her graduate school mentor as 'in the loop' as she was supposed to have been. She had promised Dr. Morris that she would text each time she met up with the seedy fighters and after she was done. Perhaps she just didn't want to admit how often she and Daryl had been meeting.

It was with pleasant surprise that Beth read Morris's text.

-Hey Beth, just checking in to see if you've gotten started on the preliminary paperwork for your research. If you need help you can come by my office in the next few evenings.

Beth kept forgetting that Dr. Morris had no clue how deep she was into this and the real reason why she was even attempting this research. To Morris, it would be a few interviews and some observation to collect the data he needed for a case like this. But for Beth, if she really wanted to turn this shit of a situation into some positive fruits, she would have to keep doing what she was doing; meeting up with Daryl to train and eventually fight.

After she sent Morris a text back thanking him and telling him that she'd be in touch, her phone began to buzz with a name that had started to make Beth's muscles ache just by seeing it. She lifted the phone to her ear. "What, Daryl?"

"Hello ta ya, too, darlin'." Beth could hear the smirk in his voice.

"Sorry, it's just that I thought you said I had the night off from training. You know, since I've barely slept all week and I've spent more hours hitting your hand than hitting the books," Beth rolled her eyes, sipping on her hot coffee carefully while she walked toward her apartment.

"Yer right, I did give ya the night off from trainin', but that don' mean ya git the night off entirely," Daryl replied in a clipped tone.

Beth paused briefly, a loud scoff coming from her and startling a nearby dog that had just lifted its leg to pee on a tree. "Daryl, it's Friday night, I don't have class tomorrow and all I want to do is sleep until I die."

"Seriously, grandma, we need ta git ya out more," Daryl laughed through the phone. "There is more ta life than sleepin' an' studyin'."

"Right, like beating people up for sport. Sure, that's a great alternative to what I like to do," Beth replied dryly.

Dar was no longer amused when his voice shot back, "Ain't no sport, it's business. If ya keep makin' light o' it then yer stock is goin' ta sink. Look, t'night's not an option. Yer goin' ta watch a real fight from the new perspective o' a fighter in trainin'."

Beth's legs became a little shaky as she walked up her apartment stairs. "W-What?"

"Ya seen me fight 'fore an' ya had a lucky break when ya fought Michonne, but there's still so much ya need ta learn 'bout technique. I want ya ta see how it's done by two professionals." Daryl's voice had an edge of excitement and Beth gulped.

"Is one of them on our "team" or in our "gang" or whatever?" Beth struggled with her keys while she listened to Daryl laugh.

"Nah, neither o' them is wit' us, but we could very well be up 'gainst these girls in the near future. They're names Lady K an' Swift an' they are supposed ta be the toughest gals in the city."

Beth plopped down on her couch, her brow creasing. "Girls, huh? Why do all of these names sound like they come from some sort of demented children's tale? Anyway, are you sure it's safe for us to be watching when they might be our competition?"

Daryl chuckled lowly but genuinely and Beth's lips quirked up into a pleased smile.

"There's kinda an unspoken rule that ya don' fight unless it's scheduled. Not ev'ryone follows it all the time but ya gotta hope that they will. Listen, I ain't a 14 year old girl so my phone call limit don' usually exceed 15 minutes. I gotta go. I'll pick ya up at 10 tonight."

Before Beth could say anything else the call had ended. She dropped her phone on the couch next to her, gnawing on her lower lip. It was kind of weird to be going out with Daryl on a Friday night when it wouldn't lead to them punching each other.

Standing up and stretching her long arms above her head, Beth started to put together in her mind an appropriate outfit to watch a fight with Daryl. She wouldn't end up looking like an old woman that night, she knew that for sure.  
_

"Whooaaa, where are you going?" Maggie asked around a mouthful of spaghetti.

"Mags, why do you always have to talk with your mouth full? It's disgusting," Beth wrinkled up her nose while she checked to make sure her makeup looked alright. She had to admit, she'd gone a bit dramatic with the eyeliner, which she hadn't done in years. Her eyes were lined thickly with precision and her blonde hair was purposefully messy into soft waves.

Maggie swallowed pointedly before talking with her eyes rolling. "Are you going out tonight? I want in. I've carbo-loaded and I've already pre-gamed." Maggie patted her belly with one hand while lifting her beer with another. "I'm good to go."

Beth tried to conceal her look of distress, wetting her lips before turning to her sister. "I um.. Have a date," Beth lied and immediately regretted it when Maggie's eyes nearly popped out and landed in her pasta.

"How did I not know about this before now?"

"Because it's none of your business?" Beth said back, tugging gently on her leather coat.

"Oh, come on! I tell you every detail of my dating and sex life," Maggie whined, crossing her arms.

Beth cringed and cleared her throat. "I didn't tell you because it honestly slipped my mind. It's just.. A casual meet up. I'm not expecting anything from it, so," Beth replied as truthfully as she could.

Maggie's eyes traveled over her appearance. "I mean this in the kindest way possible but, you look like you're ready to kick someone's ass. You're super intimidating in all of your made up glory. Are you sure that's the impression you want to give off tonight?"

Hiding her smirk and the fact that it's exactly the impression that she wanted to give off, Beth shrugged a shoulder. "I mean, the guy should know I'm not putting out."

"Alright, that's true. If he tries anything then you let me know and I'll take care of it for you," Maggie cracked her knuckles in her most threatening way.

Beth really had to work hard to fight back a laugh on that. As ironic as it was that Maggie was implying that she would beef it out with a trained fighter, Beth was touched by her caring. "Thanks, you're the best." Beth patted his shoulder, looking down at her vibrating phone that signaled Daryl was outside.

"I'm probably gonna go over to Carl's if you wanna meet me later. Apparently he taught his lizard to do backflips or something," Maggie said casually, twirling some more spaghetti around her fork.

Beth knew she would never want to see something like that, but she waved jovially as she left the apartment with a nod, trying not to think about what the fight night might bring.  
_

A crowd was already gathering although the fight wasn't set to start for another twenty minutes or so. Beth bit her bottom lip when she felt Daryl's eyes on her for at least the tenth time since they'd met up. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Beth mumbled under her breath so only Daryl could hear.

Daryl's eyes snapped down to the ground and he cleared his throat. "Don' flatter yerself so much, I'm jus' surprised ta see ya lookin' yer age."

Beth smirked lightly, able to tell that Daryl was lying. "Do you even know how old I am?"

"Too damn young." Daryl mumbled, looking at Beth curiously.

Beth would have retorted but she knew her ass was snarky and wasn't going to try to deny it. "So, uh, are you sure we shouldn't watch this from a balcony, somewhere more private?" Beth was beginning to grow a little worried when she started to see women show up who really looked like they belonged behind bars.

"As cute as it is that ya want ta be alone wit' me, I want ya close enough ta smell the blood," Daryl whispered near Beth's ear, making shivers travel quickly down her spine. Beth just nodded in response, afraid that a quiver in her voice might betray her cool.

It wasn't hard to spot who the fighters were. The combination looks of determination and fear on their faces were immediate tip-offs. Beth was sure that no matter how confident a fighter might be, there would still be the nagging thought in their mind that they could get their jaw broken or their ribs shattered.

Daryl was mumbling the fighters' information in Beth's ear. "Swift is great on her feet an' at defense, but her punch can be weak. She mainly relies on kicks. Lady K, is, well.." Daryl trailed off, pointing to the burly woman with the tattooed face dressed in all black. Her arms were bulging with muscles and her fist was nearly as big as Beth's head.

"Yeah, I think I can guess her strengths," Beth nodded, her head bobbing with a big gulp.

"Ya gotta know that it ain't impossible ta beat a gal like that. Ya just gotta hit them in their weak spot, even if it seems like they don' have one."

Beth's eyes traveled over Lady K's body and face, narrowing them when she saw her stumble a little over her big feet. "Aha, she is clumsy."

"Exactly," Daryl replied in a pleased tone. "So what we got here is two opponents, each havin' what the other lacks. Or in other words, we got a great fight."

Beth flashed Daryl a small smile, feeling a little rush of adrenaline. "If they had the same strengths and weaknesses, what kind of fight would that be?"

"Never endin'..." Daryl's lips turned downward. "That's when ya really have ta find a unique approach.. Or else ya kill each other slowly."

Beth blinked and nodded, her mind racing. She knew that if she ever found herself in a situation like that, she would have to get inside the opponent's head and rely on her inner weaknesses rather than her outer.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw Merle step to the center of the opening of the crowd with a leggy brunette on his arm.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Beth asked near Daryl's ear.

"Merle likes money, so he'll do whatever gig gives it. He fights, he runs our crew but he also announces fights," Daryl tensed up a little.

"Oh, I see.." Beth pursed her lips, trying not to flinch at Merle's gruff and crude way of introducing the fighters and grabbing his date's ass while he did.

"It don' matter much if he sees ya, but.. Jus' try ta blend in," Daryl urged lowly.

"Does he not know that I'm here with you? I thought this was part of his 'curriculum'," Beth replied.

"It's um.. My idea. He pro'bly wouldn't approve o' us bein' outside the warehouse together," Daryl admitted reluctantly.

Beth simply nodded, not really sure what to say in response to Daryl's risky move, ducking her head to seem more inconspicuous.

"Ya look stupid, stand up like a human," Daryl shoved her back a little, smirking.

"You're an asshole and I can't wait to train again so I can punch you," Beth grumbled back and Daryl's eyes lit up before his gaze turned back to Merle while he stepped back to let the fighters approach.

With that look and the fight beginning, Beth was becoming more and more aware of how twisted this situation was. Her stomach dropped when Lady K made the first swing and she felt like she might be sick. But then Swift dodged it and kicked Lady K square in the back with the flat of her foot, making her fall forward on her face.

Excitement rose inside her chest and Daryl's commentary in her ear only added to the thrill of watching it go down. She wouldn't admit it easily but she was enjoying this. It was sick, it was deluded, but hell it was captivating.  
_

"God, I wanna fight right now!" Beth clapped her hands together while she and Daryl walked down the street a safe distance from the festivities.

"It's normal ta feel like that after watchin' a fight," Daryl smirked faintly, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "'specially one that was so close. I seriously thought Lady K was gonna win it."

"Please, I knew Swift had it in the bag the whole time," Beth responded surely.

"That's jus' 'cause she's a little skinny an' ya felt a connection ta her wit' yer bony ass," Daryl laughed while licking his chapped lips.

"Look, I'm skinny and I know that, but there is nothing bony about my ass. Got it?" Beth walked purposefully in front of Daryl to show off her asset, her finger flipping Daryl off in the process. She didn't expect it when Daryl grabbed her hand, roughly pushing her up against the nearby brick building, a dark look in his eyes.

"Don' fuckin' tease me, Beth," Daryl's voice was low and slightly menacing, making Beth's heart race.

"I was just joking.. " Beth swallowed hard, her eyes traveling over Daryl's tense jaw.

Daryl relaxed a little, dropping his hands to his sides but still standing in front of Beth in a way that she couldn't move away from the wall. "I.. " Daryl looked down, pursing his lips to the side. "I'm sorry.."

"What was that..?" Beth dared to ask.

"Yer jus' fuckin' wit' my mind," Daryl shook his head, stepping away from Beth and pulling out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one smoothly.

"Can you explain that a little better?" Beth hedged, knowing she was walking a thin line.

Daryl blew some smoke out from his lips, shoving his lighter and pack back in his pocket. "Ya'll think I'm a freak," Daryl replied sardonically.

"Ah, that would be too late," Beth smiled a little, trying to lighten the mood.

She was gifted with a brief laugh from Daryl. "It's.. Ah, fuck it. It gives me a rush when I watch a fight. Then hearin' ya talk 'bout fightin' an' bein' such a goddamn smartass.. It gits ta me an' it pisses me off that it does."

Beth listened carefully, her mind going to one conclusion and her eyes darting quickly downward to Daryl's crotch and back up while she spoke, "All of this is like foreplay to you.."

Daryl's eyes met Beth's briefly before looking down the street, giving Beth the confirmation she was seeking. "You are a freak, aren't you?" Beth couldn't help the smirk that grew on her lips.

"Seriously, fuck you. I saw how pumped ya were gettin' 'bout the fight, ya liked it too," Daryl glared hard, turning his back to Beth.

"Hey, hey, I understand it now.. You're right, it's a big rush. I just didn't realize I was part of the reason you're all keyed up," Beth fought a blush from rising on her cheeks.

"I think ya knew a little bit.." Daryl turned around, watching Beth lean against the wall, taking an inhale of his cigarette while he slowly stalked toward Beth.

"What are you doing?" Beth raised a brow, feeling her entire body buzz in anticipation.

Daryl held the smoke in his mouth, licking his lips and putting them mere centimeters from Beth's. Beth parted them instinctively and Daryl slowly and fluidly blew the smoke into Beth's mouth, pulling back to watch the reaction.

Beth blinked a few times, her eyes darkening as he blew the smoke slowly back out to the side, her eyes not leaving Daryl's. Daryl bit down on his lips while he watched the smoke exit Beth's full lips, a shaky sigh coming out.

"Fuck ya fer lookin' so good tonight," Daryl shook his head, his resistance visibly melting when he braced his hand on the wall next to Beth's head.

"Screw you for making fighting so sexual," Beth replied in a barely audible voice and Daryl smiled crookedly.

"It sounds like we'd both like ta fuck each other.. Don' it?" Daryl's voice was so smooth and his cologne mixed with the cigarette smoke in the most delicious way. The combination hit Beth harder than a punch could, so Beth responded defensively to the hit and pushed her lips hard against Daryl's.

Daryl took a deep breath of surprise through his nose before pressing his body firmly into Beth's his hand moving to grip Beth's jaw without any gentleness. Lips parted and their tongues fought for dominance just like their bodies would.

It took a moment of heavy breaths and wet lips and tongues before Beth realized what was really happening. Her hands pushed at Daryl's chest but Daryl simply dropped his cigarette and grabbed both of Beth's hands, pinning them to the wall while he bit down on Beth's lower lip, tugging on it with his teeth and sucking on it soundly.

A low moan escaped Beth's throat and Daryl snapped out of it, backing up quickly with wide eyes and Beth started to panic before speaking. "I'm.. Fuck, I'm sorry."

Daryl wiped his lips with the back of his hand, his body tensing up. "Didn' I tell ya that this ain't goin' ta happen?" Daryl's voice was harsh and Beth was speechless. She might have been the one to initiate the kiss but she knew she wasn't the only one that wanted it.

"I.. I thought.. " Beth started shakily, brushing her fingers over her swollen lips.

Daryl shook his head quickly, holding his hand up. "This didn' happen. I'm fuckin' dead if Merle finds out that I compromised yer trainin' by gettin' involved wit' ya."

"Daryl, it was just a kiss. Nothing is compromised," Beth voiced, her words laced with confusion. "I don't get the big deal.."

"Of course ya don'. Yer jus' a prissy kid who never had hard times in her life. Ya don' understand how much I need this, how much I don' want ta fuckin' go back ta the life that I had," Daryl growled, turning his back on Beth and walking away from her.

"So what? You're done with me?" Beth called out and held her arms out to the side exasperatedly.

Daryl turned around in his walk. "We will still train bu' that's it. No more o' these kind o' meetin's. From now on it's strictly business an' if ya can' handle that then I'll find someone else ta take over the trainin'. See ya tomorrow night at 9 at the warehouse, Beth."

Daryl's back was to her again and he walked swiftly away, leaving Beth's head swimming with confusion but mostly disappointment. She staggered back to the very wall that she'd just been kissed against, sliding down it to sit on the ground, her head in her hands.

The whole night had been surreal and then reality came crashing down harder than an ass-kicking. She really hadn't realized how serious Daryl had been about them not crossing that line, and Beth couldn't help but wonder what the hell Merle had on him that would make him so serious about this.

A pang of regret was settling in Beth's stomach. As much as she told herself that she didn't want Daryl like that, it was becoming painfully apparent that she did. Not only that but Daryl wanted her too, even if it wasn't possible.

With the taste of Daryl still on her lips, Beth walked home with not the faintest clue of what would happen when she and Daryl met the following night. All she knew was that she was itching more now to fight than ever. She needed a release.


	10. You're so stupid, Beth!

Shutting her computer and releasing a deep sigh, Beth leaned back in her desk chair, tapping her fingers against her arm and staring out the window before her. She had just finished getting her thoughts together about the night before enough to compile some notes for her research. She refused to let what was going on with Daryl and his visceral reaction to the fighting to become issues in distracting her from what was important. If she could just stay on top of her schoolwork then at least she would have one thing that was a little bit predicable and controllable in her life.

Truth was, Beth was thankful for a way to keep her mind off of deeper tugging thoughts of how Daryl would act that night, or how Beth herself would behave. And that kiss.. That fucking kiss that Beth could still feel if she thought about it. She shook her head and closed her eyes tight to push it away.

It was best to go into the night not expecting anything other than training, because that's what they were supposed to do and nothing more. Beth smiled a little wryly, rolling her eyes and standing up with a stretch. She never was one to do exactly what she was told.

"Hey! How was the hot date last night? I'm guessing not so good since only one side of your bed has been slept in and you look like shit," Maggie spoke as her head abruptly popped around Beth's doorway.

Beth's eyes traveled to the bed and then to Maggie, shrugging her shoulders up. "I told you I wasn't going to put out, didn't I?" Clearing her throat, Beth walked past Maggie to fold some clothes strewn on the other side of her bed, which was something she didn't do often. Maggie, being the perceptive ass she was, picked up on it.

"Uhh.. What's going on? Have you been body snatched?" Maggie walked up to her and poked her arm, looking over her face skeptically.

Beth pushed her off lightly. "No, maybe I'm just changing, trying to start better habits." Beth had to inwardly roll her eyes at herself because she knew the habits she was forming were not good in the slightest.

"Wow...You really do need to get out more," Maggie tsked. "Come to the bar with me, Carl and Lizzie tonight. I promise, no lizards invited. We miss hanging out with you."

"Aww, how cheesy are you?" Beth teased but inside she felt a little twinge of sadness. She missed her friends too. "I'd love to but.. I actually have plans again tonight, so," Beth spoke carefully, preparing for the inquisition that was definitely coming.

"With the same guy?" Maggie's eyes widened. "Awe! I'm proud of you! We miss you and all but I'm fully aware of how much you need to get laid." She clapped Beth on the back, grinning and leaving Beth pleasantly surprised. "You can bring him by the bar if you want."

"Eh.. I think I'll wait a bit before I bring you guys into his life. I mean, he still has hope of living a Carl and Maggie free life," Beth joked, patting her sisters's arm. "But really, I'll think about it.. We'll just see how tonight goes," Beth said in an effort to appease Maggie, though she knew only her words wouldn't work forever.

Beth glanced at the clock, seeing it was 8:30pm already. "I've gotta get ready. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" Beth smiled genuinely at her intrusive but caring sister.

"Yeah, for sure. Hey, I'll leave you the apartment tonight, okay? Just in case your date goes really well," Maggie wiggled her eyebrows.

"You don't have to, it's not going -" Maggie cut Beth off with a raised hand.

"I'm just saying, I'll crash at Carl's. Or, who knows? Maybe I'll get lucky too," Maggie said proudly. "I miss Glenn."

"You are truly disgusting. See you later," Beth laughed, shooing her.

"Love you too, sis," Maggie waved, leaving the room and heading straight toward the bathroom.

Beth wrinkled her nose, shutting her door and taking a collecting breath before getting dressed to leave. Included in her apparel for the night were an unfeeling heart and stone-cold face. She had a suspicion that she might need them, but she didn't know how durable and lasting they were.  
_

Daryl was looking at his watch when Beth stepped through the metal sliding door of the warehouse, as if he was hoping Beth could be even a minute late so he could get after her. Normally, Beth would have made some petulant remark but being that she had no clue which mood Daryl might offer her, Beth kept her mouth shut.

"Thanks fer bein' on time frr once," Daryl said dryly, his gaze turning toward a punching bag hanging from a lower part of the ceiling.

Beth resisted the urge to be smart and addressed the bag instead. "We've never used one of those before.."

"Na, but clearly the way we've been trainin' ain't been workin' out. I thought ya could try somethin' more.. Independent," Daryl murmured, tugging on the strings of his hoodie.

Beth's eyes dropped to the ground. "You mean.. I should try something where I don't have to touch you at all." Her symbolic armor was already fading quickly away.

Daryl scuffed his boot against the cement ground before walking toward the bag, pulling some bandaging out of his sweatshirt pocket and holding it up. "Ya need ta wrap yer hands an' wrists o' else they will take a pretty brutal beatin'. I ain't goin' ta give ya boxin' gloves though. Ya won' need them if yer punchin' right."

"I have some gloves already, thanks," Beth shot back, not meaning for her reply to be so short but unable to shake the weird feeling in the air. She stepped up to the bag, flexing her gloved fists.

Daryl looked at Beth's fingerless gloves and then chanced a look at her face. "Those gloves ain't goin' ta protect ya how ya need it. Trust me, please. I've had plenty o' injuries an' I know how ta avoid 'em."

For some reason, Beth was suddenly incredibly annoyed. Daryl wanted her trust on this but Beth couldn't even trust him to not bail on her if things got intense between them again. She couldn't only trust him on some things and not others, at least that was her thinking and rationale when she spoke next. "I'll take my chances."

"Are ya really goin' ta challenge me on this?" Daryl's brows knitted together, looking at Beth in slight dismay and frustration.

"Look, I know you're my trainer but we are different people and we are going to fight differently no matter how you try to mold me," Beth shrugged off her jacket, and pulled her hair up and held up her hands. "These gloves are tough and I haven't hurt my hands thus far. You've never tried them so you don't know how they work."

"Darlin'... This is the stupidest thang ta pick a fight over. Seriously. 'M jus' tryin' ta look out fer yer bones, ya know, in case ya don' want ta break them," Daryl shook his head, scoffing. "Stop bein' stupid, take off the fancy gloves an' let me wrap yer goddamn hands. Ya can put the gloves back on after."

Beth swung her arm back, hitting the bag with a strong and precise punch, making its weight swing. It did hurt a little but not to the point where she needed to admit it. Daryl watched the punch with slightly parted lips before looking back at Beth and her hand. "I think they get the job done, don't you?" Beth said smoothly and raised an eyebrow high, taking another punch with her left hand this time.

Crossing his arms over his chest and letting out a deep sigh, Daryl watched Beth take punches. "Yer the worst fuckin' student an' listener in the world."

"Come on, Daryl...You know you like the challenge," Beth said in a faintly flirtatious tone, hitting the bag with extra force to try to distract from it.

"Hey, hey, not so hard. Miracle gloves o' not, this bag can break yer hand if ya hit it too hard the wrong way," Daryl said warningly, obviously ignoring Beth's comment.

"I'm. Not. Going. To. Break," Beth said each word with a punch accompanying it, trying to tune Daryl out completely, focusing instead on her form and pace, things that she and Daryl had been working on.

"Even the strongest can break, Beth...ya don' have ta prove anythin' ta me.." Daryl mumbled, shaking his head and tilting it down.

"Apparently I do," Beth panted, stilling the bag with both hands and looking at Daryl with narrowed eyes. "You think I'm not taking this seriously, that I'm just trying to find a way to get with you or something."

"What?" Daryl glared at her. "That's a fuckin' ridiculous thang ta say. What happened last night ain't got nothin' ta do with all o' this. I don' doubt that yer serious, I jus' think that we both got sidetracked an' need ta get focused again."

"Then you need to admit that the way we were training was the best for me. That I was improving. I work better with a living and breathing person rather than an inanimate object that doesn't react," Beth grumbled.

"Beth, every fighter uses the bag at some point o' another. Ya can hit it way harder than ya can a human without inflictin' pain. I don' see what the big fuckin' deal is here," Daryl walked away from Beth, tensing his fists.

"The big fucking deal is that you and I both know I can throw a strong and hard punch. That's not what I need help with. I need help with technique and footwork and stealth and all the things that you can help me with, Daryl. Not this hideous bag," Beth said with disdain in her voice.

She knew she was being irrational and childish. Years of psychology courses had trained her to analyze herself in tense situations, whether she liked it or not. She was acting out because she was still upset and confused about the night before and she couldn't seem to stop himself.

"I wish ya would do what yer told fer once without fightin' me on it!" Daryl called out in anger, turning to face Beth.

Beth jumped a little at the way Daryl's voice carried, blinking and taking a deep breath while tightening her jaw. "Fine, you want me to punch the bag? I'll punch the bag, Daryl." Beth started hitting the bag with consecutive punches, her heart racing.

Daryl walked back toward her cautiously. "Slow down, remember? It ain't 'bout the rate o' hits, it's 'bout the execution.. An' don' go so hard, y'all fuck yer wrists. Especially without them wrapped."

"I've got this, Daryl," Beth replied through gritted teeth, her whole body tensing as her right wrist twisted wrong on a particularly hard punch. "Damn, damn, damn...!" Beth stumbled back, grimacing in pain and cradling her wrist with her other hand.

"Shit.. Beth! Yer so stupid, fuck.." Daryl's voice was ridden with concern and frustration and Beth held back her tears, keeping her face as even as she could.

"I'm f-fine.. I just have to shake it off," Beth nodded weakly, attempting to shake her wrist and crying out in pain. "Okay, not so fine. Shit." Beth closed her eyes, her head spinning a little at the pain.

She hadn't even noticed that she'd started to wobble on her legs until Daryl's strong arms were steadying her from behind. "Alright, I'm takin' ya home. Yer useless ta me now," Daryl's words were harsh but his tone was gentle and Beth leaned on him gratefully, catching a soft hint of his cologne.

"You're going to yell at me, aren't you.." Beth asked shakily, wincing as a twinge of pain shot through her wrist.

"Definitely, but not now. Jus'...Relax, I'll get ya home," Daryl sighed loudly, leading Beth carefully out the door.  
_

Beth was embarrassed. Her behavior had not only shown a level of immaturity to Daryl but it had also landed her with a fucked up wrist. She brought her knees to her chest on her bed where Daryl had insisted she go rest.

"I got aspirin, water an' ice. Oh, an' guess what? Now ya git ta wear the same wrap on yer wrist that ya were such an asshole 'bout wearing' earlier," Daryl said while he walked into the room, setting the things on Beth's nightstand and unrolling the bandage, his posture tense and his face tired.

Beth took the pills and swallowed them with a sip of water, wetting her lips and looking at Daryl cautiously before speaking, "I'm sorry.."

"Yer sorry? Seriously?" Daryl sat down on the edge of Beth's bed, looking at her incredulously. "That was fuckin' reckless. I git that ya were mad at me but hell, yell at me, scream at me, but don' risk yerself like that again. Yer lucky this is jus' a sprain that will heal up in a few days if ya take care o' it. It coulda been much worse," Daryl took a deep breath after speaking and Beth nodded softly.

"I just.. I know I acted stupidly and I promise to control my emotions. I haven't gotten to the point where I can shut them off like you can.." Beth replied meekly, holding out her wrist for Daryl to wrap with a slight cringe.

"Ya learn ta only focus on the fight. It takes time an'...Obviously I ain't perfect at it either," Daryl cleared his throat, glancing at Beth's face briefly. "I don' care how mad at me o' frustrated wit' me ya are, ya need ta listen ta my advice. I been doin' this fer years an' I can help ya avoid injuries an' mistakes that I made. I didn't have anyone helpin' me, darlin'."

"I know.. I will listen, I promise," Beth bit her bottom lip hard, wincing as the bandage started to round her wrist.

"Breathe.. I'll be as gentle as possible." Daryl's expression was concentrated while he wrapped Beth's wrist expertly.

Beth couldn't help but study Daryl closely during this moment. The way his tongue poked out of the corner of his lips a little and his eyes focused so carefully. The tension between them was still there. Being that close to Daryl on her bed and at night only amplified it. Not only that, but Daryl was being so caring and attentive. It was a side that Beth didn't see that often in Daryl, but one that she knew was strong underneath the surface.

When Daryl was done, Beth let her hand rest on the bed, her breathing even but her heart pumping quickly in her chest. "Thank you.. For everything. I'm not going to let you down like this again, I swear," Beth spoke sincerely.

"Ya didn' let me down. It was a stupid mistake an' a painful one, I think ya won' make it again...Will ya?" Daryl's voice was soft and Beth knew that his words also addressed the night before.

Beth licked her dry lips, running the fingers of her unaffected limb through her hair slowly while she looked at Daryl's face. "I.. I can't promise I won't do something stupid again. But I do promise to try my best not to." From Daryl's expression, Beth knew that he understood her double-meaning too.

Dar swallowed hard, lacing his fingers and exhaling slowly. "I'm.. I'm tryin' really hard, Beth."

"I know, and you're doing a great job at training me. Even if I act ungrateful and childish, I know you're trying hard and I'm glad it's you who's helping me in this unfortunate situation.." Beth was rambling and it took Daryl's next words to shut her up.

"That ain't what I meant.." Daryl's head shook faintly, his eyes traveling to meet Beth's, making her breath hitch.

Stretching her legs out and carefully crossing her arms over her chest, Beth mumbled her reply, "What did you mean?"

Daryl licked his lips, his eyes slowly descending Beth's body and over her legs. "I'm tryin' really hard ta not.." Daryl glanced back up, looking a little guilty, "Ta not want ya."

"Oh.." Beth blinked in surprise, trying to slow her racing pulse. "I'm not trying to make it harder for you, I'm sorry.."

"Stop apologizin'," Daryl's lips turned upward in a faint smile. "Yer jus' bein' yaself. Annoyin' an' stubborn you." Daryl rubbed at his temples, perking up in attention and looking at the door. "Where's yer sister, anyway?"

"She's out for the night, hoping to get laid but will likely end up passed out on our friend's couch," Beth chuckled lightly, rolling her eyes and exhaling deeply.

Daryl smiled lightly. "I should go an' let ya git some sleep. Make sure ya ice that as much as ya can stand it. When it hurts a bit less ya need ta move it as much as yacan stand. It will be less stiff that way." He stood up, straightening out his hoodie.

"Hey, Daryl?" Beth looked up at him, chewing on her lower lip.

Daryl tensed a little, carefully looking at Beth's face. "Ya?"

"It's hard for me, too."

"I know.." Daryl murmured lowly.

"Especially after last night.."

"We ain't gonna talk 'bout it, though.. It's best ta jus' pretend like it didn' happen," Daryl sighed and walked toward the door, stopping to lean against the wall beside it and look at Beth from a safe distance.

Beth furrowed her brow. "But it did happen and like I said, I'm not great at shutting feelings off like you."

"Remember how I jus' said ya should listen ta my advice?"

"Yes, but that's just in cases where I might get hurt," Beth replied quickly.

"That's right," Daryl said back, closing his eyes.

Beth absorbed Daryl's words with a soft sigh. "Then fine, it didn't happen."

"Beth..."

"No, it's okay," Beth murmured, standing up and huffing softly when Daryl tensed up more. "Relax, I just have to go get ready for bed," Beth motioned with her good hand toward the bathroom door next to where Daryl was standing. "I'll see you soon, I guess." Beth looked at Daryl briefly before starting to step through the doorway, pausing. "Thank you for taking care of me.."

"It ain't a big deal," Daryl mumbled back, looking at Beth's face with conflict, her deep blue eyes showing the slightest sadness.

"You okay?" Beth asked despite herself.

"As okay as ever," Daryl replied with a firm nod. "Goodnight, Beth. Make sure ya lock up behind me."

It took Beth two seconds before she reached out and grabbed the back of Daryl's hoodie, tugging on it to keep him from walking out the door. Daryl turned to her, blinking in confusion. "What..?"

Taking a deep breath, Beth stepped before him, backing him up against the wall slowly. It occurred to her how they kept meeting against walls, but this time the mood was entirely different than it was the night before.

Their eyes stayed locked as Beth leaned in and pressed the softest kiss on Daryl's unresponsive lips, her eyebrow lifting a little to ask if it was okay. Daryl's hand came to the back of Beth's neck and their lips met again but with purpose.

Closing her eyes, Beth leaned into Daryl, parting her lips lightly in the kiss, sighing through her nose when she felt Daryl's tongue curiously stroke her lower lip. Beth's tongue slipped out to teasingly brush against Daryl's between their lips before pulling back and pecking Daryl's lips once more, knowing she shouldn't push it further than that.

Daryl blinked his eyes open slowly, both of their breathing heavier than before. Beth just waited for Daryl to freak out, storm out, yell at her and say that he couldn't train her anymore. But it didn't happen. Instead, Daryl studied her face carefully, his eyes dwelling on Beth's plump lips and his tongue wetting his own.

"Ya never listen ta me.." Daryl finally spoke and Beth knew better than to reply to that. "Ya piss me off so much an' ya don' seem ta care 'bout gettin' yerrself into danger. Most o' the time I don' have a fuckin' clue what yer thinkin' er why yer thinkin' it," Daryl's voice was low and near a growl.

Again, Beth knew that Daryl wasn't wanting any input, and she was feeling smaller and smaller. She gulped, looking at Daryl's face. "I.. "

"No, shut up," Daryl cut her off, gripping Beth's chin with his thumb and forefinger and looking her in the eyes. "Girl, nobody can know.. When we're in public we have ta act like there ain't nothin' goin' on 'tween us. Ya understand?"

Beth nodded the best she could with Daryl's grip. "But wait, are you saying that you.."

"I'm sayin' that my whole life is spent fightin' an' I never git a break from it. I don' wan' ta fight this," Daryl motioned between them, releasing his hold on Beth.

Beth's heart was pounding loud enough to be heard in the silence of the room. "I don't want to fight it either.."

Daryl's expression was relieved but still serious. "There are rules though."

"Of course, I would expect nothing less from you," Beth teased wryly and Daryl rolled his eyes.

"Fer instance, it don' distract ya from yer training, it don' b'come a habit an' like I said, nobody finds out."

"I can deal with all of that, it's what I figured," Beth nodded quickly, her lips puckering subconsciously while he looked at Daryl's. Unfortunately, Daryl pulled back as Beth mustered the courage to lean in for another kiss.

"Ya need some sleep an' rest yer wrist. Sweet dreams, Beth," Daryl paused before pressing a chaste kiss on Beth's forehead and walking out the door with his head tilted down.

While Beth leaned against the wall of her bedroom, she realized that this wouldn't be typical and it wouldn't be easy. Maybe Daryl had surrendered to the fight but he had spent years building a protective wall around himself and his feelings. One that Beth would not be able to easily break through and she wasn't going to attempt to.

As she made her way to brush her teeth, Beth accepted that she still wasn't the one calling the shots, Daryl was. But she couldn't help the little smile on her lips that stayed with her until she fell asleep, even with the pain of her wrist. Daryl wanted her and he wasn't going to fight it anymore.

It was already an hour after Beth had fallen asleep that her phone buzzed on the nightstand. Beth simply burrowed more into her pillow at the noise, still sleeping soundly and unaware of the text message that flashed across the screen..

Merle: Got a fight lined up for you, Priss. One week. You better be fuckin ready.


	11. Turn ons

**All of you guys are seriously so amazing. Your response back to this story helps me get through the next chapter ;) thank you guys so much! I love you all!**

Beth reached blindly for her phone as the alarm blared through her peaceful sleep. So peaceful in fact, that she had forgotten her injury and whacked her wrist on the corner of the nightstand after shutting off the bastard alarm. She groaned loudly, biting her bottom lip hard. "Dammit."

She half-expected Maggie to pop her head in with her typical nosy manner and there was a brief moment of panic at how she would explain her wrist. It was as Beth sat up with a deep inhale that she remembered her sister had made herself scarce the night before in hopes that Beth might get laid. Beth blushed, remembering the intensity and surprise of the night before. Everything had been so unexpected.

With tender care, Beth got out of bed and took the most difficult shower of her life. She had always spent a lot of time and attention on the maintenance of her hair in the shower, and doing her routine one handed was a bit of a trick. Regardless of the dull throbbing pain in her wrist, Beth was in good spirits when she grabbed her phone and made her way to the kitchen for a nutritious breakfast of Lucky Charms.

"Five text messages?" Beth murmured to herself as he looked over the screen with a curious eye, spooning some cereal into his mouth. She was thankful that she had swallowed her bite before reading the first text from Merle.

The phone slipped from her hand and hit the counter with a clatter while Beth sat there wide-eyed and ghostly white, her mouth half open. She had to fight. She actually had to fight. It's not that she hadn't expected this day to come sooner or later, but she thought she still had time. She still needed time.

Holding her panic attack at bay, Beth scrolled to read the other texts, hoping that they would be from Merle, clearing up the mess and saying that the fight wasn't going to work out. But no, the next was from Maggie asking if it was safe to come home yet, and the rest were from Daryl...

Beth didn't bother texting him back, but instead clicked the 'call' button. Her heart pounded in her chest as the ringing of the phone seemed to gradually intensify.

"Hello?" came Daryl's gravelly voice.

"Did I wake you?" Beth blinked in confusion, having seen that Daryl's latest text had come from just an hour before.

"Hell no, I haven' slept all night.." Daryl sighed deeply and Beth frowned.

"If I had seen Merle's text before I fell asleep, I wouldn't have either."

"Well, he called me right after I left yer place.." Daryl cleared his throat a little uncomfortably. "I woulda came back in ta tell ya but I knew ya needed rest, an'..."

Beth couldn't help the faint smile that grew on her lips. "Well, thank you."

"How's the wrist?

"It's..." Beth pursed her lips, attempting to move her wrist side to side for a moment and subsequently to hide the hiss of pain that resulted.

"Not good, I reckon. Shit..." Daryl breathed into the phone and Beth could hear the sound of teeth grinding through the reciever.

"Hey, it'll be okay. I just need to give it a little time," Beth nodded to herself, putting herself in a purposeful state of denial about how little time she actually had.

"I could kill Merle fer givin' ya a fight so soon. He knows what little experience ya have. All he cares 'bout is money an' a good fuckin' show," Daryl grumbled and Beth closed her eyes in an effort to calm herself. She needed to take the reigns and prove to Daryl that she could do this.

"How long until you think I can start hitting again?"

"Uhh...That all depends on how ya feel, Darlin'," Daryl replied slowly.

"Screw how I feel, how long until it's safe for me to start hitting again?" Beth rephrased.

There was a moment's pause on the other side of the line. "I suppose five days, at least. That's if ya take really good care o' yer wrist.."

"Alright then, five days," Beth murmured. "Until then, what can we do to for me to prepare without using my right hand?" That would leave only two days to actually hit before the fight, but at least it was something.

"We can work on blockin' an' footwork," Daryl's voice seemed to be growing with confidence. "Ya, an' we can go over yer opponent's details an' shit."

With a sigh of relief Beth replied, "We will do everything we can. I'm not entirely useless, and I heal really fast. My mom used to tell me about how clumsy I was when I was little, always getting hurt but always ready to go again the next day. Once I even busted open my head on the sidewalk."

"Wait, ya hit yer head as a small child? That explains a lot," Daryl teased and Beth relaxed. If Daryl was joking then that meant this situation wasn't as detrimental as she'd thought.

"Yep, and what's your excuse?" Beth shot back playfully and earned a small chuckle from Daryl.

"At least ya haven' lost yer feistiness," Daryl sighed softly and Beth could hear him swallow hard. For some reason the sound was a catalyst for chills up her spine.

"What are you thinking about?" Beth was unable to suppress the question.

"Jus' how sorry I am that ya got mixed up in this shit.." Daryl's answer surprised Beth.

"It's not your fault at all, Daryl. Really, I got myself into this mess, I agreed to fight and.."

"An' if ya never met me, if ya hadn' o' recognized me that night when ya saw me fightin', ya would have never even met Merle. Ya wouldn' be here right now," Daryl said morosely.

Beth collected herself with a deep breath. "Maybe this isn't ideal, maybe I'm in way over my head, but I don't regret meeting you. I mean, I really should, but I don't. If I have to handle all of this for the chance to know you, I think I will do my best."

Beth expected Daryl to freak out at the sentiment but Daryl's voice didn't falter when he replied, "We will do our best."

"We?" Beth's lips turned upward.

"Yeah, we." Daryl responded resolutely.  
_

Plans were made to meet up that night to go over Beth's opponent. In the meantime, Beth was doing everything but enjoying her Sunday afternoon. Typing one handed had proven very challenging and it had taken Beth nearly an hour to type her one page assignment. Monday was coming way too fast and though Beth was still managing to stay on top of her schoolwork and training, she knew that the balance would break at some point.

"Asshole, you never texted me back!" Maggie slammed the front door with her foot after coming in, a large pizza box in her hands. "I mean, surely you aren't still fucking. I know you don't have the stamina. You're a virgin."

Beth looked up from the couch, her face incredulous. "How the hell do you even know that?"

"Um, I share a wall with you. Why do you think I didn't want to be here last night? If you moan that much by yourself I can only imagine what it would be like with someone else." Maggie wiggled her eyebrows and set the pizza on the counter, leaning her elbows on it before putting her chin in her hands and batting her eyelashes like a little girl.

"So, Beth, tell me everything! Was he just dreamy and so romantic? Omg, did he hold your hand?" Maggie's little girl voice was scarily realistic.

"We didn't have sex," Beth glared but couldn't help cracking a smile at how stupid her sister looked. "We just talked a bit," Beth shrugged and looked back at her laptop, wishing Maggie would slink away to devour her entire pizza and then slip into a food coma.

"No way. You would have texted me back before if that were the case," Maggie plopped down on the couch next her and Beth casually hid her wrist under the throw pillow beside her. "I'm guessing he barely left."

"Really," Beth looked at her seriously. "No sex, no staying the night. I didn't text you back because I'm had a lot on my mind today. You know, school and the mundanity of my life. The usual," Beth lied smoothly.

Maggie wasn't buying it. Beth could always tell when Maggie didn't believe her because her eyes would turn into tiny narrowed slits and her nostrils would flare slightly. "Who is this guy, anyway?"

"Just someone from a class I'm in," Beth replied far too quickly and Maggie's eyes became impossibly small.

"Babe...You don't usually lie to me like this, except for that time you ate my poptarts."

"I didn't eat your poptarts!" Beth shot back, offended.

"You ate them! God, why do you even still lie about that? I found the crumpled wrappers on your bedroom floor," Maggie replied bitterly.

"I told you, Carl passed out on my floor that night and he got the munchies in the middle of the night and.." Beth huffed. "You know what? I'm not getting back into that again. Point is, I'm not lying now. Yeah, I'm not telling the whole truth, but I just don't want to jinx something so new."

Maggie thought about that for a moment and when her eyes returned to normal size, Beth knew she was in the clear. "Alright, fine, fine." Maggie clapped her on the back. "But I do want to meet him before too long, okay?" She stood up, picking up the pillow obscuring Beth's wrist and whopped her in the side of the head with it, blinking as she spotted the wrapped injury.

"It's nothing," Beth defended before words were spoken, holding her wrist to her chest.

"That's not nothing.. What the, did he hurt you? Beth, you better tell me the fucking truth right now." Maggie's was rarely this serious unless it was about food or sex. Beth knew that her sister cared for her a lot and would do anything for her, but sending her off to ultimately get her ass kicked by Daryl was not what she wanted to happen.

"It's.. I.." Beth scrambled to come up with an adequate excuse. Lying was starting to wear her thin and her cheeks began to turn red in the moment of stress.

"Wait.. Are you blushing?" Maggie raised her eyebrows and then let out a burst of laughter, which surprised Beth greatly. "Holy shit, did you sprain your wrist while jerking him off, or something?"

Beth opened her mouth for an indignant response but stopped herself when she realized it was her only option. The shame would hurt but it would be better than risking Maggie or Daryl. "Uhh.. Yeah. I did. We were...trying something new," Beth mumbled, looking down at her lap as her sister laughed loudly.

"Oh man, I'm sorry you hurt yourself but damn, that's fucking funny!" Maggie shook her head, walking to grab her pizza. "You really need sex. You truly do," she coughed through her laughter, looking back at Beth. "I'm leaving you a slice because I feel bad for you and your masturbation injury." Maggie grinned at her and took the rest of the pizza into her room, still chortling.

Beth scowled at her and then buried her face against the arm of the couch. Great, Maggie would never let her live this down. She would forever be known as the girl that fucked up her wrist while jacking off a guy and she had only herself to blame for it. These lies couldn't go on forever, she just hoped this shameful tidbit would keep Maggie off her back until at least after the fight.  
_

Nobody should look that good in a wifebeater and worn out jeans, but that's all Beth could think about when she walked into the warehouse later that night to find Daryl sitting on a crate with his elbows on his knees while he looked through papers in his hands.

"Hey," Beth smiled warmly, wiggling the fingers of her good hand.

Daryl pulled a crate over to place across from him, gesturing for Beth to sit down with a faint smile, a cigarette dangling from his lips. "Hey, I see ya made it here without hurtin' yerself, clumsy."

"I'm not clumsy anymore," Beth huffed and sat down, nudging Daryl's foot with hers before self-consciously pulling it back.

"No, jus' stubborn." Daryl smiled and took a moment to squeeze Beth's knee. "Relax.. I don' take back any o' what I said last night er this mornin'," Daryl looked her in the eyes sincerely and Beth's mouth went dry.

"That's good because.." Beth wet her lips, briefly biting the bottom one, "neither do I."

Daryl's gaze turned downward but his hand lingered on Beth's leg before slowly dragging back to the papers. "Alright, what I have here is all o' the information I could gather on yer opponent. Her name is Sneaky."

Beth creased her brow, rubbing her lips together. "Um.. Is she one of the seven dwarves, or?"

Daryl rolled his eyes and smirked. "Look, the names are jus' part o' the territory. I know some o' them are fuckin' goofy but it's what we got an' they are the least important aspect here. But if ya want ta see her as a dwarf as a technique ta minimize the threat then by all means, go on."

Beth shook her head quickly. "No, no, sorry. I'll focus now."

"Wow, there's a first," Daryl said bluntly.

"Hey, screw you," Beth flicked the bottom of the papers.

"Hey, ya know where that kind o' talk leads.." Daryl licked the corner of his lips and Beth bit back a soft groan at the sight.

"Fine, fine. Just.. Talk," Beth spoke in a strained voice and looked down while Daryl chuckled.

"Wait.." Daryl murmured and flicked the cigarette out of mouth, before stubbing it out with the toe of his boot. Beth felt a rough hand gently cup her chin and warm breath over her lips. She dared to look up at Daryl's face only millimeters away from hers, her lips puckering when Daryl kissed her softly. Beth barely had a chance to respond to the kiss before Daryl pulled away. "Sorry, I.. Don' think I could focus properly until I got that outta the way," Daryl cleared his throat.

In an effort to play it cool, Beth kept her mouth shut. There was a 100% chance that something embarrassing and cheesy would have come out of her lips in that moment. Instead she slowly walked her fingers down Daryl's forearm and flashed him a gentle smile.

"Ya don' have anythin' ta say?" Daryl lifted a brow. "Hold up, did my kiss shut ya up? That's all it takes? Fuck, I'm definitely goin' ta have ta 'member that. I been tryin' ta think o' a way ta do that fer weeks now," Daryl smirked and his shoulders shook in quiet laughter.

"Yeah, yeah, cocky," Beth pushed at Daryl's shoulder lightly and pointed back to the papers, hiding her inward fluttering over the fact that Daryl had voluntarily and so easily kissed her. "So, what is Sneaky good at?"

Daryl made a humming noise, his teeth grazing his lips in a distracting way while he read over his notes. "Her name is pretty self-explanatory. She's really stealthy an' quick. However, she lacks strength. She mainly relies on wearin' her opponent out by dodgin' their hits an' then goin' in fer a jab in the stomach er sternum ta knock the breath out o' 'em."

Beth should have known this but she was never great with anatomy. "Where is the sternum?"

Daryl looked at her with a hint of teasing surprise before taking his hand and pressing it to the center of Beth's chest, rubbing his thumb over it softly and murmuring, "Right there.."

Beth's breath caught as if she had in fact been jabbed there and she swallowed thickly. "I see.. That would hurt," Beth whispered back.

Daryl nodded slowly, his eyes not leaving Beth's as while his hand slid slowly over to Beth's breast, his fingers grazing her nipple through the fabric of her shirt. "No bra?" Daryl mumbled with slight awe in his voice.

"Uh," Beth replied dumbly, barely able to respond at all.

"Hmm," Daryl chewed his lower lip, his eyes traveling to Beth's lips as his finger curiously circled her nipple.

Beth shivered visibly, her hand gripping Daryl's arm and her forehead pressing against Daryl's. "Be careful.."

"What will happen if I don' stop?" Daryl asked in a low and husky voice, his lips brushing very lightly against Beth's when he tugged gently on her breast.

A moan escaped Beth's lips and her eyes shut tight. "It.. It turns me on a lot."

"'nother thang ta remember.." Daryl murmured before pressing his lips hard on Beth's, making her jump a little in surprise and wrap her arms around Daryl's neck so she wouldn't fall straight off the crate. Beth parted her lips and Daryl took the hint, sliding his tongue inside Beth's warm and waiting mouth. Their tongues gently rubbed and twisted together as their lips met with varying pressure.

Feeling Daryl like this, so raw and uninhibited, was something new. There wasn't any tension in Daryl's jaw when Beth slid her fingertips along it, and the way he moved his tongue against Beth's tongue showed experience and need. Daryl wasn't going to pull away this time.

With that realization, Beth boldly stood up, her lips not leaving Daryl's while she carefully straddled Daryl's lap, immediately grinding down against the man as hands held tightly onto her hips. Daryl growled against Beth's lips and lifted his hips up into her, making Beth shudder hard at the sudden contact.

Daryl's hands hand just begun to explore the curve of Beth's ass when the familiar creak of the sliding door started. Beth immediately moved from Daryl's lap and back to her crate, her heart pounding in her chest while she tried to make sure she looked presentable. Daryl was flustered and frustrated as he smoothed out his hair, adjusting his jeans near his crotch to conceal an excited part of him that made Beth blush to even think about.

"Who the fuck is it?" Daryl called out in a strong southern drawl that Beth was surprised he could muster.

"Yer daddy," Merle cackled, walking in with a smug grin. "I missed beatin' yer ass up."

"Fuck you," Daryl laughed faintly but it wasn't even close to genuine. "What's up?" Beth watched the way Daryl's entire demeanor tensed up at the mention of his dad and the presence of Merle.

"Oh, ya know, jus' comin' ta check on our little protege here," Merle walked up and put his hand on Beth's shoulder, squeezing it harder than necessary. "Why ain't ya sweaty an' hittin' somethin'?"

"We were just.." Beth looked to Daryl helplessly as she did her best to hide her wrist.

"We was jus' goin' over some stats on Sneaky, thinkin' up the best approach ta get Be.. Priss ready," Daryl swallowed visibly, standing up strong next to Merle and eyeing his hand on Begh's shoulder.

"Smart choice, but I wan' ta see this kid hit. It's been a while," Merle put his free hand on Beth's other shoulder, moving her to stand and face him.

Beth was beginning to panic and Daryl could sense it. "She's already hit enough tonight, we don' wan' ta wear her out.."

Merle looked at Daryl incredulously. "Since when da ya not wan' ta see someone hit, Dixon? Don' tell me ya gone all soft. Come on, I'll even let ya hit me, Priss."

With a deep sigh, Beth held up her hurt wrist. "I can't hit because I have to wait for this to heal.."

Daryl shook his head, a look of regret on his face as Merle raised his voice. "What the fuck were ya thinkin', lettin' her git hurt like that? Do ya not realize how much I have goin' on her fight? God, maybe ya are useless," Merle spat on the ground, glaring and shoving Daryl on the arm roughly.

"And you, maybe I need ta do somethin' ta make ya take this more seriously.." Merle slowly backed Beth up, making her stumble a little over the crate.

Beth could see Daryl start toward them but she shook her head quickly. She didn't want to get Daryl in more trouble tonight. So she set her face hard and pushed Merle back with her good hand. "I know how serious it is, thanks. It was an accident. It will be healed in a week and then I'll be ready to kick my opponent's ass and then yours after if you still need more proof that I'm serious."

Merle blinked and then raised his thick eyebrows, a slightly pleased but bitter smile growing. "I'm goin' ta pretend like I didn' see this shit. Do what ya have ta do but we ain't pushin' the fight back, even if yer wrist is still fucked. This ain't a game, kid. The stakes are much higher than ya realize."

Daryl was looking down at the ground and clenching his fists as Merle left and Beth didn't know what to do. She wanted to hug the shit out of him because of the horrible things Merle had said to him, but something told Beth that it wasn't the right thing to do in that moment.

"I so look forward to the day I get to kick that guy's ass," Beth cleared her throat, speaking smoothly. "So, show me how to block."

Daryl's gaze slowly drifted upward, a hint of an impressed smile on his lips. "Alright."

Beth smirked back lightly, licking her lips and taking a deep breath to expel all of the negative energy Merle had brought in with him. "I promise I'm not going to let you down."

"I know ya won'.." Daryl nodded gently, his deep blue eyes set on Beth's face. "Hey, I was thinkin'.." Daryl puffed out his cheeks, rolling his eyes at himself before speaking. "Maybe tomorrow night after we train, ya could come over ta my place. Ya know, so we can talk more 'bout the fight."

"To y-your place?" Beth couldn't conceal her surprise. She had almost forgotten Daryl actually lived anywhere. He just seemed to show up places and fuck with Beth's head in good and bad ways.

"Ya, my place. I live alone so no roommates will be askin' questions an'..." Daryl trailed off, his expression starting to look a little nervous and unsure.

"That sounds great. Let's do it," Beth nodded quickly, putting her hand to her forehead and grimacing. "I mean, not it, that's not what I meant. We don't have to do that, obviously, I just meant that.." Beth began to ramble and Daryl let out a low laugh.

"Relax, eh? I knew what y meant. God, yer a mess," Daryl flashed a wide grin and Beth couldn't help but smile back.

"Alright, alright. Let's do this," Beth huffed, bringing her arms up and moving her body into a fighter stance. "Try to hit me."

"Sure ya can handle what I do?" Daryl flexed his fist, a smirk playing on his lips.

Beth really fucking hoped she could.


	12. Mondays

**It is called fanFICTION for a reason, if you don't like it, then don't read it. Jesus. **

Mondays really were the worst, that's one cliché that was actually true. The time seemed to drag on and on and everyone kept asking about Beth's wrist in her classes. Though it was mildly amusing watching people try not to laugh when she told them her school-appropriate concocted story of falling down the stairs in the administration building, she was getting tired of lying. She was getting tired of lying about everything.

"Hey, Beth!" Dr. Morris called after her in the hallway just as Beth was about to slip out the door and to freedom.

Turning her head after wincing just a little, Beth looked toward the approaching professor. "What's up, Doc?"

Morris chuckled and crossed his arms, looking at Beth from beneath his glasses. "Just wanted to check in and see how things are going with your research."

"Er.. Good! I've been meeting with one of the fighters pretty frequently.." Beth cleared her throat. "Been getting a lot of good information. There's actually a fight that I'll be able to observe very closely coming up.." She would be in the fight, of course she'd be up close and personal.

"Alright, sounds exciting!" Morris gave a pleased nod. He had no idea just how exciting it would be. "I've got some paperwork for you, if you can just get it into me later this week," he reached into his briefcase and produced a stack of papers, handing them to Beth.

Rather than looking at it as yet another thing to do, Beth was simply grateful that Morris wasn't asking further questions. "Thanks, I'll get them filled out," she fumbled a bit while stuffing them in her backpack and Morris noticed.

"What happened to your wrist?"

"Oh.. You know, stairs in the administration building got the best of me," Beth pursed her lips, shrugging her shoulders.

"Unfortunately I do know, those things are killer. Ripped my pants on the railing of them yesterday, in fact," Morris cursed under his breath while Beth experienced the need to hold back a laugh. "See you soon, good luck with the research," he patted Beth's shoulder and took off down the hall.

Beth exhaled and walked out the door, squinting forlornly into the bright sun. She had lied again. Not completely and not about everything but her deception was stacking up, much like his schoolwork and paperwork.  
_

After emailing in an article critique and making some index cards to study with for an upcoming abnormal psychology test, Beth realized that it was almost time to go and meet Daryl to train. Except tonight was not just about training.. She would be going over to Daryl's place after. Suddenly the idea of fighting a total stranger seemed less nerve-wracking than being alone with Daryl in his apartment.

Her phone buzzed on her desk; a text from Daryl.

-I'll meet you outside, we're going somewhere different tonight.

After sending a reply, Beth went to take a quick shower. Sure, she might be getting sweaty from training, but she wanted to be as fresh as possible in case.. Beth glanced at herself in the foggy mirror, her hair wet and dripping down the sides of her face and the water highlighting the dark circles from lack of proper sleep under her eyes. She didn't know what might happen, but she wanted to be prepared for what she knew deep down she wanted to happen.

She noted that her wrist was already starting to feel better as she got dressed; she'd been very diligent about its care. If it didn't heal fast then we were fucked. After dressing she dried her hair, leaving it somewhat messy but styled, her face left bare. Makeup was part of her everyday look and she knew she would definitely wear it for the fight because that's what Merle wanted to see. A petite blonde with made up with makeup wouldn't be seen as a threat and it would become an advantage. Tonight though.. Tonight she didn't want to hide behind anything. There were no tricks up her sleeve.

Grabbing a warm coat, she walked out the door and locked up, going down to the stairs and finding Daryl waiting at the bottom with a lazy smile on his slightly chapped lips.

"Hey.. You're smiling? Something must not be right," Beth teased, tucking her hands into the pockets of her coat.

Daryl looked slowly over her face, his long lashes touching his cheekbones gently with contemplative blinks. "Ya look different."

"Oh.." Beth looked down self-consciously. "I just didn't feel like putting all that makeup on, sorry."

Beth felt rough fingers touch her jaw, carefully lifting her head. "Don' be sorry.. It's a good different. Very," Daryl nodded and dropped his hand, worrying his lip with the tip of his tongue. "Ya never looked better."

Beth fought the blush that began to creep up on her cheeks. Without makeup there was no way to cover the pink color on her pale skin, so she changed the subject. "Where are you taking me?"

Daryl's jaw tightened a little and he looked over his shoulder out the door. "A place where Merle can't show up outta nowhere an' fuck wit' yer concentration."

"Anywhere he isn't sounds great to me," Beth smiled lightly, opening the door and stepping out.

"Plus, I git the feelin' ya need ta relax a bit," Daryl scuffed his feet on the cement as they walked. "Ya always seem so fuckin' frazzled, darlin'. Like ya have a million thangs in yer head at once."

"I usually do.." Beth admitted wryly. "It never stops."

"Why do ya do it all? I mean, why did ya choose ta go ta graduate school an' not jus' git a job er somethin'?" Daryl questioned and Beth thought about her answer carefully.

"I guess.. I felt like I had something to prove," Beth murmured, biting her lip hesitantly.

"Ta who?" Daryl lead her around a corner and Beth wished the subject would turn a corner too.

"Just.. People in my life," Beth shook her head and looked at her feet while she walked. "People that didn't think I could become anything, that I'd never make a living doing what I wanted."

"But yer doin' it, don' they recognize it? Ya work so hard.. Even I can see that an' I barely know ya," Daryl replied firmly, a tone of defense to his voice that sent warmth through Beth's stomach.

Beth glanced over at Daryl with a half-smile. "I'm not exactly making a living at it yet. The money I make in my work study just barely covers my books and groceries. I pay rent with scholarship money.. I haven't proven anything, Daryl. To them, no money means no success," Beth sighed shakily. She never talked about her personal life, she rarely even thought about it herself. Deep down she was just as emotionally damaged as some of the clients she studied and tried to help.

"Beth.." Daryl stepped in front of her, taking Beth's hand in his and rolling his lips in. "Fuck 'em, whoever they are. Take it from someone who spent his whole damn life tryna prove that he was worth somethin'.. Hell, I'm still doin' it," Daryl chuckled humorously. "Only now I'm tryin' ta prove it ta myself, an' that's all that matters. Y'all have money soon, if that's what'll solve this. Y'all have a lot an' they won' be able ta say shit."

Slowly lifting her gaze, Beth looked at Daryl's dark and handsome face, her stomach swirling with an unmistakable feeling of butterflies. "You know.. I can't believe you're the guy I met that dark night in the middle of nowhere."

"I don' think I'm that guy anymore.. Not completely," Daryl swallowed thickly, this time his gaze dropping down. "I was in a bad fuckin' place and ya...Well, ya were jus' in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I have to disagree.. I think I was in the wrong place at the right time," Beth mumbled, a tiny smile playing on her lips. "With you, every place we've met has been wrong or a messed up situation, but the timing has been right on."

Dar grinned slowly, displaying his bright smile and tilting his head slightly to lean in and press his forehead to Beth's."Yer fuckin' cheesy sometimes."

"Hey, I'm just feeding off of your vibes," Beth laughed softly, turning her head when she heard footsteps on the street and frowning when Daryl stepped away from her quickly, his whole body tensing up. "What's the matter?"

"Sorry, I.. It's jus' a reflex," Daryl's brows creased and he rubbed the back of his neck, looking all around them.

"Oh, well it was just a random person. Here," Beth held out her hand for Daryl to take it again.

Daryl looked at it and sighed deeply before shaking his head. "It's better if we don' git used ta actin' like that in public. If we do it now then we'll accidentally do it when we're 'round the wrong people."

Beth kept her face neutral even though she didn't like that at all. "You're right, of course," she nodded curtly, walking forward again and shivering when he felt Daryl's breath on her ear.

"Later, darlin'...I promise," Daryl murmured and then walked beside Beth at an appropriate distance.

Beth was pretty sure her heart was going to leap out of her chest before later even had a chance to come.  
_

"I still can't believe you brought me here.." Beth laughed and kicked her legs a little to make herself swing higher. Daryl was on the swing beside her in the neighborhood park. "It's been years since I been to one."

"Ya can't lie, doin' the monkey bars basically one-handed was a fucking' hard workout," Daryl smirked and pushed his feet through the gravel on the ground.

"It was.. I'll be sore tomorrow for sure," Beth winced and Daryl cleared his throat as a thought ran through his mind. "But really, this was great. I needed a night out of the ordinary and you still somehow kicked my ass, even on a playground."

"I learned ta find ways ta train no matter where I am. I spent a lotta nights at the park near my ol' man's house when I didn' feel like goin' home ta face him," Daryl pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, lighting one and blowing an "O" into the cool air in smoke.

Beth was still getting used to the surprisingly candid talk. Before, Dar was so tight-lipped about everything. Now he would randomly offer information that Beth just knew had been so carefully concealed for a long time. Rather than make a big deal out of it and scare Daryl away, Beth just acted casual and didn't ask questions, even though it was her nature to ask a million of them. With Daryl, if you didn't ask, he might tell.

Beth bit her lip contemplatively. "Hey, Daryl..?"

"Ya?" Daryl looked at her with a raised eyebrow, flicking some ash off his cigarette.

"Do you think I can win this fight?" Beth asked in a quiet tone. They had been talking all evening about her opponent and Beth felt confident in her knowledge and the approach she would take, but the fight itself was still incredibly daunting to her.

Daryl stilled his swing to look Beth in the eyes. "If ya had asked me that a few weeks ago, I woulda said somethin' like, maybe, if ya work real hard an' stop fuckin' 'round."

"And now?" Beth whispered.

"Now.. Yer goin' ta win it. I know ya will," Daryl responded softly but seriously, his eyes clear.

Beth swallowed, breathing out slowly. "I don't know how you know that.. I don't think I'm physically stronger. Sure, I can fight better because of you but.." Daryl cut Beth off.

"I believe in ya, an' that's how I know y'all win. I ain't talkin' 'bout yer strength, yer skills er yer knowledge.. I fuckin' believe in ya. It's this strong feelin' right in my gut, an instinct. I trust my instincts 'cause they kept me from gettin' killed er broken too badly.. They're the only thang I trust."

Beth felt overwhelmed and grateful for the man who swung beside her. If Daryl could believe in her, just maybe she could believe in herself too.

"I.. Thank you. It means a lot, I hope you know that," Beth replied with a grateful smile, keeping her words short so she wouldn't accidentally spew all of her feelings right then and there.

"It's gettin' colder, we should go.." Daryl stood up, offering his hand to Beth and helping her up. The visibility of both their breath in the air punctuated Daryl's words and Beth shivered when she took Daryl's hand for more than one reason. "An' yer welcome. I don' say shit I don' mean, so."

"There's a lot I don't know about you but, I do know that," Beth nodded softly and dropped Daryl's hand dutifully, following her lead in the walk.

After glancing around for a moment, Daryl reached and took Beth's hand again, holding it firmly the duration of the walk to his apartment. Beth held in her surprise and remembered not to ask questions. One should never disturb a good thing with questions.  
_

"It's not what I expected.." Beth looked around the spacious apartment, the dark wood floors shining from the moonlight through the large windows in the living room. The apartment was filled with Daryl's personal stuff...a crossbow hung on the wall, along with various hunting equipment. But it was fully equipped and comfortable. It was...well, Daryl.

"What did ya think it would look like?" Daryl chuckled, locking the door and watching Beth as he moved around the apartment in observation.

"I dunno.. Empty, maybe a couch and mattress and pizza boxes on the counter. You know, the usual apartment for a typical guy that lives alone," Beth thought out loud.

"Ah, but ya forget.. I have money," Daryl raised both eyebrows, licking his lips and stepping closer to Beth. "An' I don' think I'm typical at all.. Do ya?" He put his hands on Beth's upper arms, looking at her face and taking a deep breath before brushing a soft kiss on Beth's lips, effectively taking Beth's breath away. She still wasn't used to Daryl kissing her out of nowhere, but she wasn't complaining.

"No, you're not.." Beth murmured in a daze, bravely kissing Daryl's lips again, leaving them pressed together for a moment. "I think it's really nice, Daryl."

"Are ya hungry?" Daryl questioned in a whisper, his lips ghosting along Beth's jawline.

"Not hungry at all.." Beth's eyes rolled back at the sensation, her breath catching and her stomach growling loudly to betray her.

Daryl laughed and pulled his head back, pressing a hand gently on Beth's stomach. "Yer hungry, an' we can't have that. Lemme feed ya an' then.." Daryl let the sentence hang and all Beth could think was that she wanted to hurry and eat so they could finish that sentence.  
_

"I forgot to tell you that I get super sleepy when my stomach is full," Beth yawned and smiled goofily, patting her belly and bringing her legs up on the couch.

"Yer like some kind o' lazy house pet, I swear," Daryl rolled his eyes playfully, putting his empty bowl of pasta on the coffee table. "Ya goin' ta fall asleep on me?"

"It sounds nice.." Beth whispered and looked at Daryl hopefully.

Daryl opened his arms wide, a crooked smile tugging on his lips even as he pretended to act annoyed with a huff. "Com'ere."

Beth quickly obliged, moving into Daryl's arms and resting her head on his chest, her left arm put loosely over his middle. She could feel every muscle through the thin material of Daryl's shirt and with each inhale she could smell the sweet scent of Daryl's cologne. She was in some sort of heaven.

Daryl's fingers trailed down Beth's arm slowly and Beth felt his lips press on the top of her head. It felt so.. Natural. Like they had done that a thousand times. Or maybe.. "Daryl?"

"Hm?" His tone was sleepy too.

"Do you.. I mean, have you.. Done this with anyone lately?" Beth felt stupid for asking but it seemed necessary.

"No," Daryl answered without hesitation. "I ain't exactly the cuddlin' type, in case ya couldn' tell."

"Why with me?" Beth tilted her head up to look at Daryl, her cheek rubbing against the shirt fabric.

Daryl glanced down thoughtfully, sighing through his nose and puckering his lips lightly. "'cause I want ta, Beth."

"You never wanted to with someone before?" Beth was starting her routine round of questions and she couldn't seem to stop herself.

"No, I didn'. Now, if ya don' mind, I'm goin' ta kiss ya so y'all shut up," Daryl smiled faintly before leaning down until their lips met. Beth adjusted a little to wrap her arms around Daryl's neck, parting her lips and gliding her tongue along the crease of Daryl's lips, holding back a moan when his tongue rubbed against her softly in response.

Beth could feel Daryl's hand sliding down her back and toward her ass where he let it rest, giving it a soft squeeze but nothing too forward. Their tongues explored each other slowly, Daryl's lightly lapping at Beth's tongue, circling it curiously and making Beth's toes curl. The kisses were deep and almost lazy and the room around them was a haze, leaving the two of them the only objects in focus.

Everything about Daryl was so strong and tough, Beth could feel it in his arms. But his touch and his kiss showed a gentleness that Beth had caught glimpses of here and there, and it seemed to be growing as a permanent quality in Daryl around her. Daryl's walls were breaking down enough to let Beth in and it felt so good.

Pulling apart a little, Daryl's warm breath fanned over Beth's lips while he spoke. "Stay the night wit' me.."

Beth shuddered and wet her lips, looking at Daryl with low-lit eyes. "You mean.."

"I mean, sleep in my bed wit' me an' wake up wit' me."

"You're nothing like I expected you to be.." Beth let the words fall out without thought.

"Neither are ya," Daryl whispered back, kissing Beth's forehead.

"I'll stay.. I just need to text Maggie so she doesn't send a search party though. That girl is so damn nosy."

"Mm, no problem. Hey, what did ya tell her 'bout yer wrist?" Daryl asked as he stood up, taking the dishes to the kitchen and walking over to flip the light on in the bedroom. The light hitting the bed made Beth's heart speed up. She was going to spend the night with Daryl and it didn't even feel like a big deal.

"Uhh.." Beth grimaced and put her hand over her face. "You don't want to know what I told her."

"Oh, I really, really do," Daryl replied with a smile, pulling back the covers on the bed with his eyes still on Beth.

"Okay but I didn't tell her this, she guessed it and I didn't really argue with it," Beth sighed, taking her shoes off. "She thinks I messed my wrist by jerking you off in a weird way.."

Daryl's loud laughter made Beth jump. "Are ya serious? God, I wish I coulda been there ta witness that conversation."

Beth's shoulders shook in silent laughter, rolling her eyes and trying to keep it cool when Daryl took off his shirt. "You should really warn a person before you just take off your shirt like that," Beth nodded seriously, going to the other side of the bed and taking off her own shirt. She wore a bra this time.

"Same goes fer you.." Daryl was down to his boxers and sliding under the covers, his eyes not leaving Beth for a moment.

"I'm nothing special.. I'm skinny and super white," Beth shrugged, fighting the self-conscious feeling when she took off her pants and quickly crawled into bed.

"Hey, wait.." Daryl lifted the covers, looking at Beth's body. "Don' fuckin' hide it from me. It's my present fer trainin' ya."

"Is that right?" Beth smirked sleepily, shaking her head and pulling the covers back down while Daryl turned the light off with a remote on the nightstand.

"That's right," Daryl mumbled, a long yawn following as his fingers traced down her back, snapping her bra off. Beth shivered as his warm, rough hands made their way towards her breasts. Daryl's voice was low when he said, "So damn beautiful."

Beth was too busy enjoying the feeling of Dar's fingers and the way they played her nerves like a piano to form a response. She simply hummed and closed her eyes, feeling like a happy kitten. Despite how good it felt, Beth couldn't fight the weird feeling that all of this was so normal and natural. "Yer fight is in less than a week, Beth.." And the feelings of normality and comfort went out the window with that thought.

"I'm aware.. It's been on my mind pretty much constantly," Beth sighed, turning onto her side in the bed to face Daryl.

"I didn' say it ta make ya freak out, I jus'..." Daryl turned his head to look at Beth, breathing deeply. "I don' want anythin' ta distract ya er me before then."

Beth peered at Daryl curiously. "Like what?"

Daryl cleared his throat, blinking slowly. His blue eyes darkened to a deep black. "I really want ta...shit. I really...want ta fuck ya, girl'. More than I wanted ta fuck anyone."

Beth's eyes widened and her stomach swirled pleasantly once again. "Yeah, I want it too.. I do."

"I get a feelin' that once I fuck ya, I'm goin' ta want it all the time," Daryl's voice was low and husky but serious. "I can' risk usin' our valuable time 'fore the fight doin' that. Ya understand?" He sighed and mumbled. "Even if I am twice yer age..."

Beth did understand, because she could easily see herself getting completely wrapped up in it and not giving a fuck about the fighting. Daryl was right, they couldn't get distracted by it. "I agree. As much as I wish I didn't, I do. And your not that old."

"I'm 36, sweetheart. Twice yer age." He saw her eyes widen slightly. "Now that we know that we can' have it.. Com'ere," Daryl tugged Beth's arm gently, pulling her against his bare chest. Beth froze when their skin made contact, tingles going through her body.

"Uhh.. That may have been a terrible idea," Beth groaned, hiding her face in Daryl's neck but settling comfortably in his arms. "Good thing I can't jerk you off, with my injury and all. Because I'd definitely try to do it right now."

"Yer mouth is perfectly fine though, no?" Daryl cracked up and Beth pinched his side lightly.

"It's more than fine, and you don't get to experience it because it would definitely throw off your concentration," Beth replied smugly.

"Mm, right after the fight yer suckin' me off an' then I'm makin' love ta ya," Daryl growled lowly near Beth's ear.

"Is that my reward if I win?" Beth whispered in a deep voice.

"I don' care if ya win er lose... I'm goin' ta be so turned on watchin' ya fight an' I will need ya bad."

Beth bit back a moan and exhaled shakily. "You're screwed up and I kinda hate you for making the no sex rule this week.. But I will win," Beth replied frustratedly, sighing when Daryl's arm wrapped tightly around her.

"Yes, ya will win, an' then we'll both win." Daryl's voice was getting sleepier and it was lulling Beth to a relaxed state.

Beth jumped a little in surprise when she felt Daryl's lips on hers in a soft goodnight kiss. She kissed him back and they both drifted asleep comfortably in each other's arms, as if they did that every night. It was all effortless.

It wouldn't be until the next morning when Beth would realize she had forgotten to text Maggie, and Daryl would find out that Knox had decided to stop by unexpectedly and saw Daryl and Beth go into his apartment together. As comfortable and content as they were that night in bed, the next day would bring new complications that they couldn't have foreseen.

Some people were just not meant to have it easy. Some people were meant to have to fight.


	13. Knox

**since you guys are SO fucking amazing, you get another update! 2 chapters in one day?! ;) love you all!**

Beth felt intense warmth when she reluctantly opened her eyes the next morning. Daryl's body was draped over her and legs were tangled. Cracking a sleepy smile, Beth glanced at her watch and noted that it was only 8:30am. She wouldn't have to leave for class for another two hours and the idea of falling back asleep never seemed more appealing than it did in that moment in Daryl's embrace. Unfortunately, Betg's bladder had other ideas.

With a quiet sigh, she started to free herself from Daryl's grasp. Daryl's arms put up a unconscious fight, holding her even tighter when she tried to pull. "Hey.." Beth murmured in her low morning voice, her fingers walking along Daryl's taut arm while she noted how good her wrist felt. It was very nearly back to normal.

"Hm?" Daryl's brow creased and his lower lip quivered a little. Beth took a second to look at Daryl's face as it looked so peaceful. It didn't portray the life that Beth knew Daryl lived, a hard and precarious one with continuous obstacles. Instead it showed the man underneath the defensive outer walls. Beth kissed his forehead without a second thought and Daryl's eyes slowly blinked open.

"Mornin'.." Daryl mumbled huskily, squinting in the daylight of the room and looking at Beth's face with a slight quirk of a smile. "Time is it?"

"Just past 8:30," Beth whispered, puckering her lips as an invitation which Daryl quickly accepted, their lips meeting in a quiet reminder of how far they'd come.

"Then why are ya up? Do ya have ta go ta class?" Daryl's eyes closed again and his arm adjusted around Beth's waist to pull her tighter against his chest.

"Not yet, but I do have to pee and you squeezing me isn't helping," Beth whined and wrinkled her nose, taking a deep breath.

"Oh.. So this would be a bad idea right now?" Daryl lifted an eyebrow and he slowly started tickling up Beth's side, making Beth squirm in protest.

"That would be a horrible idea, unless you fancy a golden shower?" Beth said teasingly, her fingers grabbing Daryl's hipbone in an opposing pinch.

Daryl pursed his lips as if in thought and then chuckled lowly. "Nah, I'll pass. I don' want yer piss all over me. Go," he pushed Beth lightly and then turned on his stomach, pulling the covers over his head.

Beth crept to the bathroom, shivering as the chill of the apartment hit the skin that was exposed. After relieving herself she freshened up a bit, rinsing out het mouth and washing her face. It was during this process that she remembered she'd never texted Maggie the night before. "Fuck me," Beth said under his breath.

"I plan ta," Daryl's voice came from behind her.

Beth quickly turned her head toward him and swallowed hard at the way the sunlight through the window hit Daryl's tan skin. She could see the various scars and marks that marred the flesh that she had caught glimpses of before, but none of it took away from the perfection in front of her. "I thought you were going back to sleep.."

"Ya made me realize that I have ta go too. Is it alright?" Daryl smirked teasingly, the sleep still in his voice.

"Of course it is," Beth rolled her eyes and blushed hard when she saw Daryl stand in front of the toilet and start to reach into his boxers. She held her breath and widened her eyes when Daryl glanced at her.

"I really don' care if ya watch, but are ya sure this is how ya want ta be introduced ta my cock?" Daryl questioned casually and Beth couldn't help but laugh, putting her hand over her eyes.

"I think I'll keep it a mystery a bit longer," she shook her head and peeked through her fingers to look at Daryl's face. "I'll meet you back in bed where I intend to sleep some more," Beth waved over her shoulder and stepped out of the bathroom with a smile on her face that quickly disappeared when she remembered Maggie again.

Groaning, she went out to the living room and grabbed her phone, bracing herself for the influx of concerned texts from Maggie. Relief was an understatement for what she felt when she read the only text received from her sister: BETHY'S GETTING LAID. FUCK YEAH. I left some cheese fries in the fridge. Don't eat them. Thx.

Beth blew out a breath and chuckled as her whole body relaxed. She sent a text back to Maggie, explaining that she was fine and that she'd give her details later. They didn't have to be the correct details, just something to keep her satisfied.

She crawled back into bed with a renewed feeling of content. The outside world actually could wait for a couple of more hours. She was just settling into the comfort of the covers when he felt Daryl's body press against her back and a hand smooth up her stomach to the center of her chest, not giving her body adequate time to adjust before a thumb began playing with her nipple.

Beth hid her face in the pillow to stifle a groan and Daryl's lips ghosted along the back of her neck. "You know I told you it's sensitive.. Be good." Beth whispered in a tone of anything but protest of the assault on her nipple.

"I am bein' good.. If I did what I wanted ta right now, thangs would be much worse," Daryl answered in a deep voice, peppering kisses down Beth's neck and lightly flicking her nipple with his fingertip. Beth brought her legs up toward her chest in an attempt to calm her arousal.

"What would it be like..?" Beth asked timidly.

Daryl's shaky breath behind her sent additional shivers down her back. Beth could tell that he was purposefully keeping his hips away from Beth's ass, and the probable reason why was making Beth insane. "We shouldn' talk 'bout it.." Daryl responded after a moment, scratching the hair on his chin.

"Then.." Beth gulped. "I think it's in your best interest to stop touching me there, or else talking will be the last thing we'll be doing," she warned.

Daryl's hand immediately moved from Beth's breast but stayed resting on her ribs, which wasn't much better. Truth was, no matter where Daryl touched her, Beth felt it everywhere. "Fuck ya fer bein' so goddamn irresistible," Daryl growled.

"Likewise, Dixon," Beth didn't know why she chose to use that name at that moment, but it slipped out in the haze of the air.

"Please don' call me that.." Daryl's voice was tight.

"I'm sorry," Beth turned her body enough so she could look at Daryl's face. "I don't know why I did.. If it's any consolation, I think you have the best fighter name. It's really sexy, actually."

Daryl breathed out through his nose and his lashes fanned over his cheeks. "It's alright, don' worry."

"You know.. At one point you didn't want me to call you Daryl. In the beginning it made you mad," Beth said carefully.

"I think ya an' I both know that a lot has changed since then.. Listen, I don' really want ta think 'bout all o' that right now," Daryl mumbled.

Easier said than done. Beth's mind had already started racing with questions and concerns. "Can I.. Just ask you one thing?"

"I knew ya would so go ahead," Daryl sighed in frustration but his touch on Beth's back was still tender, his hand tracing along her spine.

"I was just wondering why you haven't had to fight recently. I mean, we've been training nearly every night and you haven't had to.."

"Merle wanted me ta focus on ya. I can' very well train ya if a fight goes wrong an' my arm is broken er some shit," Daryl mumbled and the feeling in the air began to change to something colder. Beth knew she only had a moment to fix it.

"It's all I wanted to know, I swear.. I'm really glad you get to focus on me," Beth bit down on a smile and looked Daryl right in the eyes, their noses bumping together lightly.

Daryl took the offer of living in the bliss of denial for just a bit longer and kissed Beth firmly, his hand gripping her hip and his tongue slowly slipping between Beth's lips. Lips parted and tongues met heatedly, tangling and twisting between their connected lips.

Lifting her hand to the back of Daryl's neck, Beth massaged it slowly with her fingertips and traced the shell of Daryl's ear with her thumb, brushing it along the edge of his earlobe. Their chests pushed together close enough so they could feel the pounding of each other's hearts and the silence around them was infiltrated by heavy breaths and quiet keening.

The moment only broke when their groins pressed together and the obvious mutual arousal became too much. Daryl quickly pulled his hips back and licked over his swollen lips, his eyes dark and heavy-lidded.

"I never wanted somethin' so bad," he mused aloud and Beth had to close her eyes briefly while a wave of excitement washed through her.

"You will have me.. Just a little longer," Beth was surprised with her own ability to reason in that second.

Daryl nodded faintly, a strained smile on his lips. "Let's sleep, please."

Beth knew it was the only thing that would help. She didn't want to leave yet but if she stayed awake with Daryl in bed, they would give in. "Yes," Beth reached for her phone and set an alarm and was pulled back into Daryl's arms after, where she settled comfortably against his chest. They fell into an easy sleep with their lower halves a safe distance apart.  
_

It was essentially pointless for Beth to go to school at all that day. Her classes were filled with her thoughts drifting to Daryl. She was lucky that none of her professors called on her, so embarrassing moments were avoided and she was able to remain in her own zone. Focus was impossible and she had a moment of panic when it neared the end of her abnormal psych class and she realized she hadn't paid attention to it at all. She had a test the next week and everything the teacher said was crucial to it. This wasn't like her at all.

…...

Smiling wasn't something Daryl did unless it was provoked by another person or a thing, and even then it was a rare reaction and not an everyday occurrence. Which was why he was perturbed that the smile hadn't left his face since Beth walked out the door that morning. He went out to get coffee and found himself smiling at strangers. He started a load of laundry and realized he was smiling to himself while he put in the fabric softener. It's not that he was unpleasant all of the time, it's that it took a special combination of things to make him smile genuinely. Apparently Beth had that. All Daryl knew was that this wasn't like him at all.

…...

Maggie wrapped her arms around Beth in a giant bear hug when she walked in the door and yelled, "Congratulations on popping your cherry!"

"Shut up," Beth laughed and shoved her sister, putting her school bag on the ground after full walking in the door.

"Anyway, I didn't have sex last night. We just made out and slept in the same bed."

"So what, this guy is celibate or something?" Maggie asked.

"Of course he's not, just some of us know how to restrain ourselves," Beth glared over at her and grabbed a cookie from the jar for herself. "We don't need sex to enjoy each other."

"Wow, that sounds like the hottest relationship ever!" Maggie mocked and Beth threw the cookie at her head. Maggie picked it up from where it fell on the couch and ate it.

"Anyway, I think after this weekend you can meet him.." Beth took a risky guess but it seemed about right. If things were to progress like Beth and Daryl had planned, she didn't see any reason why she wouldn't want Daryl to meet her friends.

…...

Daryl's phone rang later in the evening and he found himself girlishly hoping that it was Beth. Instead, Knox's name flashed across the screen and Daryl blinked in confusion. He and Knox typically communicated in texts or in person. Neither of them were ones to chit chat.

"Ya?" Daryl answered the call.

"Dixon.. I gotta talk to you about something."

"Go fer it," Daryl kept his voice calm but his gut told him something was wrong.

"Look.. I came by last night to see if you wanted to go get a drink and I saw you and Priss go up to your apartment."

Daryl's mouth dropped open and he slowly started to panic. "I just had ta show her some fight footage on the internet. Ya know, Beastly vs. Criminal from 2010. Criminal is similar ta Sneaky, Priss' upcoming opponent." Daryl had never been more grateful for his seamless ability to lie. It was the only trait that he appreciated inheriting from his low life dad.

"Oh.." Knox seemed to think for a moment. "You sure?" Because I came back by a few hours later after the bar and all your lights were out. I know you don't usually sleep that early, man."

He had him there. Daryl hadn't slept decently in years. Well, up until the night before with Beth. He wouldn't admit it but it was the best sleep he'd had since he could remember. Knox and the guys were used to dropping by in the middle of the night to find Daryl wide awake and working on some kind of project. Sleep for him was a weakness. A time when he couldn't protect himself and he'd had countless experiences that proved he needed to be on guard as much as possible.

He had become accustomed to falling asleep after at least 3am because that was when his dad would roll in from the bars. If he was going to give Daryl a beating, it was always around that time and Daryl had to be sure to be awake. His dad would ream him even if he was sleeping. Though he didn't live with him anymore, old habits died hard.

"I been able ta sleep better lately," Daryl admitted slowly, seeing that there was no adequate excuse other than that.

"Did she sleep there with you?" Knox pressed.

"No," Daryl replied perfectly. Without hesitation but not too quickly. "I jus' passed out, 'm sorry. Call me next time an' I'll be sure ta be awake."

"Alright, man. I was just checking because you know how bad it would be if you started something up with that kid. Merle would have your ass and send you back to your old life without even thinking about it. He's the only reason why y'all's  
dad hasn't found out where you are."

"I know, Knox. Shut the fuck up 'bout it. Nothin' is goin' on," Daryl's voice was stern and Knox knew not to push it further. "Don' mention yer suspicions ta anyone 'cause I don' want rumors spreadin' 'bout this bullshit."

"Hey, I'm not gonna say a damn thing. It's why I came to you first. Maybe there's nothing going on now, but if you're even thinking about it I just wanted to remind you about what's at stake," Knox replied.

"I know what's at stake an' I also know that it don' matter 'cause ain't nothin' is happenin'," Daryl's defense was bordering on too much but he just wanted to get off the phone. "I'll see ya later, man. I gotta go."

"See you this weekend at the fight. Make sure Priss is ready to go. Merle has a lot of money going on her and I don't wanna deal with him if the kid loses."

"Ya, ya. She'll be ready," Daryl breathed out. "Bye." He hung up the phone and stared into the air in front of him. That was way too close of a call. He was able to lie but he knew Knox was onto him. It would only take another little slip and everything would be ruined.  
_

Beth had gotten better about not analyzing every little facet of her time with Daryl and not trying to figure out what was in his head. Mostly because Daryl was being more forthcoming about things now, and not quite as mysterious. At least that's what Beth thought, until that night.

"What's up with you?" Beth asked for the second time, wiping sweat off her brow. They had been training for three hours straight and had gotten a lot accomplished. Beth's wrist was perfectly usable and she was feeling strong and good.

Everything was going fine except that Daryl had barely said a word that didn't have to do with the fight. When Beth had questioned him on it initially, Daryl simply said that he was keeping good on his goal to not get distracted. Saying that the fight was four days away and they couldn't waste a second. Beth completely agreed, and that's why she had worked her ass off.

"I done told ya, aint nothin' wrong. Ya did good t'night," Daryl forced a smile and stood up, busying himself with packing up his duffle bag with the various training tools.

The work for the night was over and Beth didn't feel the need to suppress the question. "Did something happen that you aren't telling me?" Beth crossed her arms over her chest.

Daryl raised an eyebrow at her and took a swig from his bottle of water. "I was jus' focusin' on gettin' ya ready, darlin'. We ain't got long an' it's pretty fuckin' crucial that ya do well."

Beth searched for any look of warmth in Daryl's eyes that she had become accustomed to lately. When she saw none, she assumed the worst. "Why, so Merle will praise you and you'll get lots of money?"

Daryl parted his lips in a huff, his face turning serious. "Actually, so that ya don' git seriously injured an' have yer life fucked up further.. But thanks, that's real nice ta know ya think that's what I care 'bout." Daryl spat out and put his bag over his shoulder, stalking toward the door. "Fuck you, Beth."

"Wait!" Beth called out, running her fingers through her damp hair and dropping her gaze down. "I'm really sorry. I've just had a weird feeling all night.. That something isn't right," Beth murmured as she walked closer to Daryl, putting her gloved hands on the backs of Daryl's shoulder and kissing the side of his neck. Daryl tensed up but didn't pull away.

"Beth.." he murmured under his breath and slowly let his head drop down.

"I know that's not all you care about.. I'm sorry. Sometimes I don't know what you're thinking and so I try to guess and well, I'm often wrong. Which I hate admitting, by the way.." Beth gritted out, her eyes closing.

"I'm sorry too." Daryl turned around slowly to face Beth. "'M jus' startin' ta panic 'bout shit," he admitted quietly, pursing his lips and looking down.

"What's got you so scared, huh?" Beth cupped Daryl's cheeks, making him look her in the eyes.

Dar slowly met her gaze and wet his lips, the tension in his body subsiding a bit. "We have ta be more careful, Beth."

Beth looked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Knox saw ya go into my apartment last night. He called me an' asked me 'bout it. I lied an' it's okay fer now.. But if he sees somethin' suspicious again, he ain't goin' ta let it go. He will tell Merle 'cause he is more o' a kiss ass than a friend," Daryl cursed under his breath and pressed his forehead to Beth's.

"Tell me something.. What will Merle do if he finds out about us?" Beth asked cautiously, biting down on the corner of her lip.

Daryl swallowed visibly and was at a loss for words for a moment before speaking. "He uses our dad as a threat, Beth. He's got his number an' he knows where he is. He says if I fuck up er don' do what he asks, he'll tell my dad where ta find me an' make sure I git sent back there.."

"But.. No," Beth shook her head. "You're a grown man and he can't have that much power over you. No matter how much he thinks he does."

"Ya, he does. He's the reason I can afford ta live on my own. If I lose my gig as a fighter, I lose my freedom an' money. I'll have ta go back ta the hell o' living with my dad.." Daryl grimaced and took a deep breath, his arms crossing over his chest.

"You'll never have to go back there, okay? God, you'll move in with me and Maggie if you have to," Beth nodded quickly, ignoring the fact that she had just invited Daryl to move in with her. SHe wasn't thinking of it in the relationship way; this was her wanting to protect someone she cared about.

"An' what, girl? We hide from Merle an' my dad fer the rest o' our lives? He knows where ya live, too. We could run, but he has people everywhere. People that are scared o' him an' will do anythin' ta stay in his good graces. Ya don' know how fuckin' powerful he is.." Daryl took a step back, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Beth hadn't thought of that. Honestly, she hadn't thought of the immensity of any of it. Getting to know Daryl and being with him had put a buffer between her and the harsh reality of the situation. She was going to be fighting a stranger in four days and she had no way out of it but to do her best to win. She was lying to her friends, sister, and her professors and juggling way too many responsibilities. But most of all, she had been lying to herself by saying that everything was okay and that she could handle it all.

The weight of it came crashing down and she started to panic, her breath coming unevenly. "Fuck.." Beth panted and put her hand over her chest, her chin ducking down.

"Are ya okay? Beth.." Daryl's voice came from somewhere in the room but Beth's eyes couldn't focus enough to see him. The objects around her began to blur and her head felt like it was being spun on a record player.

"I think I might faint.." Beth breathed out and wrapped her arms around her chest, trying to find balance.

Arms enclosed around her and Daryl murmured soothingly, "it's okay, it's okay.. Yer fine, I got ya." He kissed Beth's cheek and held her tight enough to transfer his own strength to her. "Nothin' bad is goin' ta happen, I promise.." Even in the stress of the moment Beth could tell that Daryl's words were sincere but unsure.

After several minutes of repeated assurances with words and touches, Beth could breathe again. She slowly lifted her chin from Daryl's shoulder and looked at his face gratefully, her head clear for the first time in months.

"Here's what needs to happen," she took Daryl's hand and kissed the palm before putting it on her chest. "When we're in public, we are friends, if even that. When we're around Merle and the boys, we will act like assholes toward each other, because that's what they've seen from us before. But when we are alone, we get to be us. I think that's the only thing that will keep me sane in all of this."

Daryl listened carefully, his expression soft and respectful. "Ya sure ya can handle bein' three different people?"

"Something tells me you're worth it. Call it a gut instinct," Beth smiled lightly.

Daryl chuckled and glanced down before meeting Beth's gaze again. "Fuck, I'm sorry I acted cold t'night.. I didn' know how ta handle it. I still don' but.. I'm tryin'. I don' want ta shut down on ya, but it's sort o' my nature ta do that."

"You're forgiven. I promise not to let this come between us when we train, but just don't pull away from me. Now that I know how serious the situation is with Merle, I promise not to try to test the limits in public or in any risky way," Beth nodded solemnly, exhaling through her parted lips.

"Just.. Fuck, I expected ya ta be stubborn 'bout all o' this an' not care what Merle thinks," Daryl raised both eyebrows, impressed.

"Oh, I don't care what that asshole thinks. But I care what happens to you. I'm not going to let anyone ruin your life. Not if I can help it."

"Look at ya...Tryin' ta protect me," Daryl grinned softly, his arms wrapping around Beth's slender waist.

"You've saved my ass enough times that I think I should do the same for you. Starting with winning epically on Saturday night and showing Merle how great you did with me," Beth smirked and wiggled her eyebrows.

"Then afterward I can show ya how much better I can do with ya... If ya feel up ta it, o'course," Daryl murmured lowly and glanced over Beth's face before kissing her lips slowly.

Beth responded to the kiss with her lips and a sweet sigh, pleasant tingles growing in her stomach. "With you, I think I'd be up for anything."

Daryl's smile dropped after a moment. "I have ta be honest.. When I really think 'bout it, I don't see how any o' this can end well fer us, Beth," Daryl sighed over Beth's lips and shrugged his shoulders dejectedly.

"Me neither, which is why I don't think about it too deeply," Beth frowned softly.

"Ain't that what a psychologist 'posed ta do though? Pick thangs apart ta an unnecessary degree," Daryl challenged.

Beth inhaled and puffed out her cheeks, lifting a shoulder. "I guess you're not the only one who's changed."

"Promise me one thang," Daryl wrapped his fingers around one of Beth's ever present necklaces. "Don' change too much. I mean, after the fight.. Ya feel different. 'member what yer like right now, an' keep that with ya."

"I promise," Beth nodded with a creased brow, pondering over Daryl's words. "I won't let it take me over. There's no way."

Darul kept quiet in response but bumped his nose against Beth's cheek affectionately before backing up. "Alright, if ya feel like it, I want ta do some one-on-one drills 'fore we go."

"Hell yeah, I'm up for it," Beth grinned and stretched her arms out in front of her, cracking her neck in preparation.

Daryl looked her up and down and raised his eyebrows slightly, a small and predatory smirk on his lips. "Come on, try ta fuck me up."

"Gladly," Beth matched his smirk and raised a perfectly formed fist, ready to take a swing.


	14. Priss Vs Swift

**Alright, alright, alriiiiiiiiiiiiight ;) early update for my lovelies :) thank each and every one of you for reviewing ;) but! I won't update again unless I get atleast 6 reviews on this chapter! Just because it's the chapter everyone's been waiting for! And this one particularly took me the longest to write! Oh! And the rating had changed from T to M ;) But seriously, I love you all. and thanks again for fav, reviews, and follows! So! On we go with Chapter 14!**

"Why do you look so tense?" Maggie's eyebrows rose from behind her thick-rimmed glasses. "It's the weekend, babe. Chill out."

Beth immediately tried to relax her posture, which only made her look more keyed up. Maggie widened her eyes in response. "I just have a lot on my mind," Beth feigned nonchalance, though it was too late for that.

"I don't know what's up with you lately.. You used to be home every night, studying like the geek you are, but now I never know where you are." Maggie tapped her container of coffee, which consisted of 1/4 coffee and 3/4 sugar and cream. Maggie hated the taste of coffee but she liked to look important by carrying around a to-go cup of it on campus.

Beth rolled her eyes at where her thoughts had drifted and focused back on the scrutiny she was under. "I got tired of the same routine night after night. I mean, how long until I really start living my life?" Beth shrugged her shoulders and cupped her mug of tea with shaky hands, lifting it to her lips and blowing on the hot liquid. She blew a strand of blonde hair that had fallen in her view.

Maggie looked from the tea to Beth's face and back again. "Well.. I guess I can be comforted by the fact that no tea drinker would be getting up to too crazy of shenanigans at night."

Beth kept her face neutral and rolled her lips in, giving a slight nod. "Hmm, you're really good at this analyzing stuff. Sure you shouldn't be the one studying psychology?" Beth tried hard to keep all hints of underlying teasing out of her voice as she reached for the change of topic.

"Oh, I know, I'm brilliant. See, I haven't gotten my bachelor's degree yet because I'm good at so many things and can't decide which field to grace with my presence," Maggie grinned wide and Beth knew she was once again off the hook.

"But really, if you're in some kind of trouble.. You'd tell me, right?" Maggie asked in a rare serious tone.

"Of course I would," Beth replied quietly and looked back down at her tea, taking a deep breath and feeling unease settle in her stomach.

"Great. Wanna come get pizza in a little bit? Carl wants a break from his lizard. I guess the little dude is going through puberty or something."

"Lizards go through puberty?" Beth raised both eyebrows, not really sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"Babe, I don't know. But Carl is paying so I don't give a shit," Maggie hopped off the barstool and kissed her little sisters head. "You should come. Everyone is missing you. Hell, I miss you and I live with your stupid ass."

Beth felt a wave of guilt. She really had been neglecting her friends; the people who'd had her back for years. In the tumult of keeping up with school and the new training schedule, Beth had let them slip from her priorities. She glanced at her watch. It was 2pm and she didn't have to meet Daryl until 6pm to warm up. Beth had suggested they spend the whole day training and preparing but Daryl insisted she relax and rest up. She said a full day of training would only tire her out and she needed all of the energy she could muster.

"You know what? I'll come. I just have somewhere to be this evening," Beth nodded with a crooked smile that only spread wider when he saw Maggie's eyes light up.

Maggie cleared her throat and rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I'm not happy or anything. I don't even like you that much," she ruffled Beth's hair and winked.

"Yeah, yeah," Beth shoved her shoulder gently and grinned. "I'm only going for the free food."

Maybe an afternoon with her friends was exactly what she needed to calm her nerves and get her mind away from the night she had ahead of her.

As Maggie disappeared into her room to take her daily nap, Beth used all of her mental energy to not think about the long-term implications of her new lifestyle. She couldn't hide it forever but she knew she couldn't tell het friends about it because they'd never approve. Or worse, it would put them in danger.

Just as she was on the verge of a tiny panic attack, her phone beeped with an incoming text. She looked at it with narrowed eyes and her lips turned up when she saw Daryl's name.

Just breathe, you've got this.

Beth knew she was referring to the fight but the words couldn't have come at a more needed time. She took a deep breath and nodded firmly to herself. "I've got this."

After Beth returned home from her lunch with her friends, she felt lighter. Being with them had reminded her of the way her life used to be; so uncomplicated and highly predictable. She felt content and relaxed, and she was sure that was only partially due to the second-hand high she'd gotten from Carl smoking up in the bathroom at the pizza place.

She took a shower and carefully groomed herself after. Merle had given her implicit instructions to look intimidating but alluring at the same time. Beth didn't like that guy but he was the boss man and Beth would do as she was told if it meant keeping Daryl out of trouble.

Beth dabbed an eyeshadow brush in a dark smoky color and swept it skillfully over her eyelids, lining them after and applying a few coats of mascara. She had to smile in amusement when she thought of how weak she would seem to her opponent if she witnessed this. But when Beth was finished, even she had to admit that she looked good and untouchable. She was sure to turn some heads that night.

Selecting what to wear was more difficult. She couldn't wear her usual accessories and she had to make sure her clothes weren't too restrictive but still appealing. She grabbed some dark skinny jeans and a white tanktop with a zip-up fitted sweatshirt to put over it. Her belt buckle was actually her daddys and it had a real dead scorpion encased in it. Though Beth hated bugs, she figured any added venom in her look couldn't hurt. She pulled her hair in a high pony, and looked into the mirror. She looked damn good.

It was nearly time to go and Beth's brain seemed to recognize that as it started racing with uneasily pieced together thoughts. She rubbed her temples and drank some cool water to try to calm down. "I can win this," she repeated over and over to herself until she couldn't stall any longer.

Much to Beth's displeasure, she saw Merle before Daryl. She watched curiously as the man's mouth dropped slightly open when Beth walked through the door of the warehouse. Dark eyes looked her over and Merle crossed his muscular arms over his chest during his silent appraisal. Beth hoped he would cut himself with that obnoxious knife of his.

"Damn Priss.. Ya look good 'nough ta eat." Beth blanched and shuddered. He said it with such a sleazy tone.

"Yeah, thanks. I guess it's what you wanted," Beth rolled het eyes and looked down at her painted black nails with a bored expression. "Where's Daryl?"

"Not comin'," Merle replied casually. "'M goin' ta warm ya up t'night an' he'll jus' meet us at the fight."

Beth tried not to react too strongly. Daryl wasn't going to be there for him to make her feel calm before the fight. "Maybe I should warm up with the guy I've been working with for weeks.. It makes more sense."

"No, it don'. Ya gotten ta know him an' ya feel comfortable wit' him. Ya ain't afraid anymore an' so he can't prepare ya like ya need."

"I'm not afraid of you either," Beth glared hard and leaned against the wall behind her defiantly.

"'cause yer a goddamn fool," he growled and abruptly hit the wall next to Beth's head, making Beth wince and her heart leap into her throat.

"What.. What good does it do to scare me like that?" Beth whispered, her eyes wide and her fists clenching.

Merle got right in her face and Beth shuddered unpleasantly when she felt the man's warm breath near her ear. "It reminds ya o' yer place an' who ya answer ta, Priss."

Beth closed her eyes tight when Merle gripped both of her arms firmly and his lips brushed Beth's earlobe while he spoke. "I don' give a shit 'bout what ya want. This is a business an' I run it how I see fit. Yer nothin' but a fightin' robot, as far as I'm concerned."

Beth mustered her strength and shoved Merle hard on the chest, pushing him off. "I'm not your fucking robot. I can walk out right now and leave your sorry ass out in the cold without the warmth of new money."

Merle smirked and pointed his knife at Beth, a small laugh emitting from his mouth. "Ya wouldn' dare. If ya bail then yer dear Daryl gits sent back ta daddy an' y'all never see him 'gain."

"What the hell are you getting at?" Beth spat, her heart pounding.

"I see the way ya look at him. It's pathetic, really. He ain't never goin' ta want ya like that. My little Darlina...seen 'em break hearts an' not even flinch. The most ya git from him is a good fuck, really. But he knows better than ta do that, yer jus' a kid." Merle sighed and flashed a wicked grin. "Now, no more stallin'. We got work ta do."

Beth didn't believe any of it. She couldn't believe it. Merle obviously had no idea what Daryl was really like and he was just trying to fuck with her head. The only effective thing that Merle had accomplished was that Beth was just pissed off enough to be ready to fight.

A crowd was gathering in the vacant parking garage where the fight was set to take place. Beth kept stealing glances from her spot around the corner, where she was instructed to stay hidden until her name was called. Once Merle had stopped the trash talk, he actually warmed Beth up really well. As much as she hated, really hated to admit it, Merle was good at what he did.

Rolling her shoulders and punching the air in front of her in quick succession, Beth took deep breaths and tried to find her focus. She jumped when she felt hands on her shoulders.

"Hey.." Daryl whispered and Beth looked around them quickly before meeting Daryl's eyes.

"You shouldn't be here...Merle can't see you with me," Beth glanced at him warily, thoughts of Merle's harsh words flooding back into her mind.

Daryl spared Merle a fast look and when he saw that he was adequately distracted by a gaggle of girls, he grabbed Beth's arm and pulled her into a dark corner. Beth followed with conflicted emotions as she thought of the risk they were taking.

"I was disappointed when you weren't there, you know.." Beth admitted quietly and closed her eyes when Daryl wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"I'm so sorry, he wouldn' even let me text ya an' tell ya," Daryl murmured and rested his chin on Beth's shoulder. "Was he okay wit' ya?"

Beth hesitated before nodding gently. There was no use in giving Daryl another reason to worry. "He was fine. Same asshole as ever, but, fine."

"O'course," Daryl breathed and Beth felt herself start to relax. "I jus' wanted ta...say good luck. 'member that defense is jus' as important as offense. Block her swings an' tire her out until ya can take yer hits an' finish her. Andrea's quick, but she ain't all that coordinated."

"Andrea? I thought her name was..."

"Sneaky?" He interjected. "Andreas her real name, darlin." He smiled a bit. Beth listened carefully and nodded along, her fingers twisting in the bottom of Daryl's shirt. "I'll remember.. I should get back. Thank you, Daryl." Beth was a bundle of nerves and as much as she wanted to stay in that moment a bit longer, she knew she needed to get focused.

Daryl smiled and Beth was able to make out the familiar gleam of his teeth in the darkness. "Ya can fuckin' do this," he said softly and gave Beth a chaste kiss.

It was when they heard the chanting of the crowd and Merle's booming voice that they knew it was time. Beth pressed her forehead to Daryl's and took a deep breath before rushing back to her veiled spot around the corner. "I can do this.." She murmured to herself.

"T'night we got a special treat fer ya. Fresh meat that's here fer her very first fight," Merle said in his low and charismatic voice. "'M sure she's scared shitless so try ta take it easy on her if she loses, folks," Merle laughed and the crowd joined in. Beth mouthed 'fuck you' toward him. She had gotten used to cursing.

"E'ryone, meet the new kid in town wit' the pretty face an' lethal punch! PRISS!" he yelled and held his arms out and Beth moved forward without any feeling in her legs. She didn't even know if she was walking properly.

The crowd parted and stared at her with awe and intrigue. She tried not to make eye contact with anyone, scared that it would crumble her nerves. When she reached the center of the large oval created by bodies, she searched for the one pair of eyes that would calm her down. She found the steel blue set in the front of the crowd and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ya got this.." Daryl mouthed inconspicuously, his arms crossed over his chest. Beth nodded firmly and closed her eyes, making a silent plea for the universe to be on her side. When she opened her eyes again, she had purposeful confidence. She stood tall and bravely looked around the crowd with hard eyes, her jaw set tight.

Merle smirked at her in an impressed way before announcing her opponent. Beth watched closely as the woman emerged from the crowd. She was blonde, cold, and a few inches taller than Beth. She had a smug expression on her face as if she knew she'd won the fight before it'd even begun. Beth was the underdog and everyone there that night was aware of it.

Sneaky spat on the ground and looked Beth up and down before smiling a nasty grin. Beth wrinkled her nose and folded her lips in over her teeth. Nobody was going to touch her pearly whites.

Merle was stepping into the crowd before Beth even realized it was happening and Sneaky was doing a predatory circle. Beth followed her with her eyes, flexing and unflexing her fists, the cacophony of the crowd becoming almost white noise.

"FIGHT!" Merle's yell broke through and Beth set her lips in a hard line, her arms lifting in front of her to get ready to block or punch, whichever was necessary first.

"Ya look scared, kid," Sneaky's voice accosted his ears and Beth snarled.

"Don't talk to me," Beth replied, feeling anxious that her opponent didn't seem to be making a move. She took a step toward her and Sneaky bounced backward a little.

"I can do whatever I want. I'm about to kick yer ass," Andrea quipped and cracked her neck and knuckles.

Beth pursed her lips and stole a brief glance at Daryl who was looking at her with hard concentration, giving a slight nod of encouragement. Everyone around them was moving in slow motion and Beth looked back to Sneaky, who was still talking but all Beth could see was her mouth moving, she couldn't hear the words.

At that moment, Beth got some balls. She made a fist and pulled her arm back, swinging hard at Sneaky's jaw with a sickening punch. The whole crowd went silent, or at least Beth thought. She was far too focused on the task at hand and she watched Sneaky recoil with grim pleasure. The way her opponent looked up at her in shock sent adrenaline pumping quickly through her veins.

"What was that about kicking my ass?" Beth growled and swung to punch her in the gut. Sneaky blocked it and pushed Beth backward, making her stumble over her feet a bit.

Sneaky threw a punch at Beth's head and she ducked to block it, jabbing Sneaky in the side and making the woman groan. Beth took that opportunity to kick her knee with the flat of her foot to knock her to the ground. She was just leaning down to punch her again when the woman lifted her leg and kicked Beth hard right in the ribs.

Beth's vision went white for a moment at the shooting pain and she doubled forward, biting down on her lower lip. When she felt a fist connect with her jaw, she started to panic more than feel pain. Sneaky hit her in the ribs again and Beth fell backward on the ground.

Before she had the chance to get up, Sneaky was on her and punching her square in the jaw again. The blow made her bite down hard into her lip and blood seeped into her mouth. Her head was spinning and she put her arms in front of her face to block any more punches. It was all she could think to do. She was losing.

The noise of the crowd started to break through and in a surreal moment, Beth rolled her head to the side and caught the gaze of Merle who was yelling curses and for Beth to get up. She tried to shove her opponent off but Sneaky was sturdier than her and stronger.

In a desperate attempt, Beth searched for Daryl. When she saw his face, everything around her stopped for just a moment. Daryl didn't look worried or disappointed. Instead he had a look of sheer determination in his eyes. "Ya can do this. Git the fuck up, Beth," Beth saw her mouth form the words.

"What the hell am I doing?" Beth thought and turned her head to look up at Sneaky, whose arms were flailing as she tried to get a piece of Beth. She was not going to lose to this girl. Not after everything.

With a newfound vigor, Beth kicked up her legs and used her arms that were crossed over her face to shove toward Sneaky's head, her forearms hitting the woman in the chin with an audible 'thud'. Sneaky fell back and Beth stood up, stepping right on her opponent's sternum with the heel of her boot as she wiped blood from her lips with the back of her hand.

With the cheers of the crowd yelling her name, Daryl's hopeful look and the fresh dose of adrenaline coursing through her, Beth was fucking floating. She pressed her heel harder into Sneaky's sternum and the woman groaned in pain.

Beth removed her foot and grabbed the 'Andrea's' arm, pulling her back to her feet before swinging her arm back and taking the biggest and most important punch of her life. Her fist hit Sneaky's cheekbone and a movie moment where the punch makes the victim spin clear around happened. Sneaky spun and then collapsed to the ground without making a solid move to get up.

Merle quickly ran over and crouched down next to the woman, mumbling something. Beth stood with her arms and hands tense out in front of her, all of her limbs shaking and her breathing uneven. With hazy eyes she watched Merle stand with a broad grin on his face. He grabbed Beth's arm and held it up.

"THE WINNER."

Everyone was chanting 'Priss' and all she could think about was how fucking good it felt. She could hardly fathom anything else. The fact that she had just beaten up a total stranger wasn't even registering.

"That was too close, kid," Merles voice was right in her ear. "Next time I don' want ta see ya on the ground once. Got it?"

Beth just nodded and blew out a deep breath, remembering Daryl. She looked around for him again and her heart did a flip when she saw the look in Daryl's eyes. There was pride, relief, but most of all, lust. She swallowed hard and spared a look to her fallen opponent who was slowly getting up off the ground.

When Beth heard Merle busy talking money with another stalky man, she strode quickly over to Daryl. Everything was still feeling like a bizarre and fucked up dream, but it didn't feel bad at all, and that was unsettling.

"Take me away from here," Beth said swiftly before walking past Daryl. She didn't have to look back to know Daryl was following.

"How much does it hurt right now?" Beth was buzzing on a high from Daryl's low voice just then and the leftover rush from the fight.

She had remained quiet and introspective on the way to Daryl's house, other than answering Daryl's repeated questions of if she was okay. Beth was finally calm enough to fully comprehend what had happened. She had won her first fight and now that the stress, worry and initial pain of it were over, all she could think about was how much she wanted Daryl.

"It's not bad.." Beth replied in a quivering and only partially convincing voice. She had just taken some painkillers that hadn't kicked in yet. Her jaw throbbed and her knuckles were already starting to swell up. Her ribs were obviously bruised, her head was pounding and she felt like she had whiplash but surprisingly, none of it mattered.

Daryl's jaw went tight as he slid his thumb along the drying blood of Beth's lower lip, his eyes growing darker when the red liquid stained his skin. Daryl looked from his thumb to Beth's eyes and then slowly sucked the tip of his thumb between his lips.

"Mmm." Beth moaned under her breath, her back hitting the wall when her knees went weaker. A slight flush hit Daryl's cheeks and he hesitantly leaned in, his lips brushing over Beth's chin and jaw in soothing kisses. Beth's head tilted back at the soft attention and her lips parted when she felt Daryl's wet tongue slide over the skin and trail back to her lips.

With slow and deliberate swipes, Daryl licked her abused lips clean and kissed them with a firm pressure that nearly hurt but felt so good. Beth gripped Daryl's jacket with shaky and sore fingers as her lips responded to the kiss readily, her hips pushing forward.

Daryl groaned and his breath caught when their groins met. He pressed his body forward to meet Beth's fully, pinning her body against the wall and murmuring, "Ya made me proud tonight.."

Beth cracked a small smile and blew out a little breath when Daryl slipped Beth'd jacket over her shoulders and pulled her shirt gently over her head. It felt like an alternate reality but this was really happening, just as the fight had.

She let out a breathy moan when she felt his arms snake around her sides carefully, taking her bra off with a quick snap. She had to force her eyes to stay open when she felt kisses on her collarbone and traveling downward. His facial hair rubbing against her sensitive skin made goosebumps rise to the skins surface. Beth licked her lips and bit down on the bottom one very gently, watching Daryl closely while he kissed around Beth's nipple, looking up to meet her gaze and flicking the nub with his tongue. Beth's head dropped back again and Daryl wrapped his lips fully around the nipple, sucking on it lightly and rolling his tongue over the hardening tip.

"Ahh.. Fuck," Beth's voice came out in a near whimper and Daryl tugged roughly on Beth's belt to undo it.

"Beth..." Daryl murmured, his fingers deftly opening Beth's pants and his kisses moving downward until he was kneeling in front of her. His eyes traveled over the reddish-purple coloring that was spreading over the pale skin of Beth's ribs. He brushed his nose against it, making Beth wince and shiver.

"These will hurt more tomorrow.. She really got ya bad here," Daryl swallowed and traced his fingertips over the afflicted area of ribs before pressing soft and wet kisses over them, even sucking on a spot. The pressure on the sensitive and swollen skin hurt so good and Beth moaned loudly, her body wracked with chills that were all going straight to her arousal.

Beth cupped Daryl's jaw while he kissed each sore area on Beth's torso. Daryl glanced at Beth's hand and then back up to her. "An' this.. How bad is it?" Daryl took the hand in his, looking at the knuckles with a critical eye.

"Could be worse," Beth whispered, curling her fingers around his and sighing out.

Daryl puckered his lips and started covering each spot of Beth's hand with soothing kisses, sliding his tongue between the knuckles and fingers and sending continuous shudders through Beth's limbs.

When Daryl sucked Beth's long forefinger into his warm mouth, Beth couldn't hold herself up anymore. Her body slid down the wall and she got on her knees in front of Daryl, her lips quickly seeking out Daryl's in a deep kiss. She curled her tongue around his while their lips met and parted with quiet, wet and sucking noises.

Beth had let Daryl care for her injuries in his own way and she couldn't wait any longer for what was next. She took Daryl's jacket off and pushed his shirt up over his head, her hands roaming the sculpted muscles of his chest and abs, making Daryl's stomach contract and suck in. With no patience left, Beth took that opportunity to push her hand down into Daryl's pants, grasping his erection through his boxers. Daryl gasped into the kiss, his forehead creasing and his hand gripping Beth's wrist tightly. Beth paused for a moment to gauge his reaction.

Daryl slowly opened his eyes and licked his lips. "Keep goin'.." his voice came out hoarsely and he slowly guided Beth's hand until it was inside his boxers. Beth buried her face in Daryl's neck with a quiet moan when she felt the warm, smooth skin of Daryl's cock.

"Oh my God.." Beth breathed out and wrapped her fingers around Daryl's impressive length, slowly stroking it from base to tip, feeling the liquid gathering there and spreading it along with her hand.

Daryl placed his lips right next to Beth's ear, breathing heavily against it and sucking on the shell, moans breaking through every now and then. Beth kissed along Daryl's straining neck and pressed herself against Daryl's hip, needing contact desperately. While she used one hand to stroke, she used the other to guide Daryl's hand to her front, pressing his palm hard onto it with a long moan.

Daryl got the message quickly and reached into Beth's already open pants, feeling the wetness and the heat radiating off her opening. He worked a long finger into the tight opening, stroking lightly in a skilled and determined way that made Beth crumble further in her kneeling position.

"Bedroom.." She mouthed against Daryl's jaw and he nodded firmly in agreement, removing his fingers and pulling himself away from Beth's hand. Beth watched him stand up, her eyes trained on how the tip of his leaking cock was exposed from his boxers and flat against his lower stomach. Beth just couldn't resist.

"What are ya.." Daryl mumbled and then groaned in surprise when Beth kneeled closer and licked the tip, tugging down Daryl's boxers and wrapping her lips around it to suck it softly. "Fuck..." He whispered. Daryl slid his fingers through Beth's hair and gripped it hard, his hips pushing forward a bit to slide more of his length between Beth's lips. Beth took him in and pressed his tongue lightly into the skin while she moved her mouth in a few slow and tortuous passes, feeling Daryl's legs tremble beneath her fingertips.

Daryl's cock twitched in Beth's mouth when she hollowed her cheeks and increased the suction suddenly. "Enough.." Daryl growled. "Unless ya want me ta come down yer throat right now, ya better stop." He grabbed Beth's arm gently but insistently and pulled her up, dragging her to the bedroom and kicking his shoes and socks off before letting his pants and boxers drop down.

Beth barely got a good look of Daryl's toned ass before she was being pushed onto the bed, twinges of pain shooting through her body. Daryl made quick work of the rest of Beth's clothes and stared down at Beth's lithe body with half-closed eyes, his tongue absently playing with his lips. Beth would have blushed if she weren't so beyond the point of being aroused.

They each took a moment to let their eyes travel over each other's bodies. They had done that before but never without the privacy of clothing. This was different, intimate and full of unspoken promise. Beth swallowed thickly and reached out to walk her fingertips along Daryl's lower stomach to his length, staring in fascination at the way Daryl's cock responded to even the slightest touch. His breath hitched and he took Beth's hand in his, stopping her.

"Yer sure ya feel okay ta do this? If ya hurt too much then I swear we can wait. We can.." Daryl's voice was laced with concern and Beth was surprised he was able to speak in that moment.

"I'm okay. I want this," Beth affirmed and slowly got on her knees on the bed, her arms wrapping around Daryl's neck while she kissed his lips. The kisses stung her lips but the pleasure outweighed the pain. She was sore all over but she felt ready. After the night she'd had, this was the only thing that could make her feel better.

Responding to the kiss readily, Daryl placed one hand on the small of Beth's back and he slowly let it move down to cup Beth's ass. He squeezed one cheek and his finger brushed along the crease lightly, sending shivers up Beth's spine. Beth pushed her ass back in encouragement, moaning into the kiss lowly and breathily before biting down on Daryl's lip, tugging on it gently. Daryl whimpered deeply and brushed his finger over the taut skin of Beth's weeping entrance.

Their lips pulled apart with a wet noise and Daryl stared at Beth with deep and lustful eyes. "Hands an' knees.. Now."

Beth gulped and looked at Daryl from under heavy lashes, her cheeks warm and her heart beating fast. She slowly moved toward the headboard, hearing Daryl rustling in the nightstand drawer, her heart pounding even more rapidly at the knowledge of what Daryl was searching for. She got on her hands and knees and pressed her forehead against the soft suede of Daryl's padded headboard and took a deep breath. When she glanced over her shoulder, Daryl was kneeling behind her and staring at her ass almost reverently.

"You should see your face right now.." Beth cracked a grin and narrowed her eyes teasingly.

Daryl blinked and looked at Beth's face, his lips twitching up into a little smirk. "If ya were seeing what I'm seein', ya would fuckin' look like this too." She saw his gaze lower back down towards her ass. "Such a pretty pink pussy." He mumbled.

Beth's stomach swirled at Daryl's words and her back arched when she felt Daryl hand on the small of her back. "Jus' relax fer me.. I won' hurt ya. Ya had enough pain t'night.." Daryl murmured and kissed the back of Beth's shoulder slowly several times. Beth's head was reeling as she heard him pop a long finger into his mouth.

Beth focused on taking deep breaths while Daryl's spit-covered fingers worked carefully in and out of her, stretching his tight entrance with great care. It had been so long since she'd touched herself and she could feel what time had done to her body. Daryl curled his fingers, and rested a thumb against her clit; moving tantalizingly and the slow burn of pleasure started.

"Oh...Daryl," Beth whispered and reached back to caress her fingers over Daryl's arm.

Daryl kissed the back of her neck warmly and brushed his wet fingers over the soft cheek of Beth's ass before reaching for the condom, ripping it open and putting it on effectively. He scraped his teeth along Beth's earlobe and pressed himself against Beth's heat. With a deep breath, Beth pushed back hard, making him slide inside halfway.

Daryl cried out gruffly and gripped Beth's hip. "Fuck Don'.."

"It's.. It's okay.." Beth took deep breaths and nodded once while her body adjusted. "I won't break."

"I know ya won't.. Fighter," Daryl mumbled against Beth's ear, his chin resting on her shoulder. "Ya feel too good...so fuckin' tight."

Beth's eyes rolled back and her forehead pressed to the headboard again while she pushed back further, fully sheathing Daryl inside of her. They both groaned loudly and stayed still for a few moments so they could compose themselves.

When Daryl started moving, Beth felt herself get taken over by each sensation. The way Daryl filled her up just right and how he rubbed against each sensitive nerve ending in the perfect way to drive her insane.

Daryl thrust with precision and strength, his body dominating and his hands spreading gentle touches along Beth's skin. The tender touch was such a contrast to the powerful way Daryl was fucking her. When Daryl's hand slid down Beth's firm stomach to play with her clit, Beth knew it was nearly over.

Sweat dripped down between their bodies as the pace quickened and they both began the race toward their orgasms. "I can fucking feel it.." Beth moaned the words and Daryl answered with harder thrusts and strokes.

"Please.." Daryl uttered the word and Beth knew what he wanted.

"Yes, I'm going to.." Beth lifted her arm to wrap it around the back of Daryl's neck, clinging for dear life and parting her lips wide in a long moan. "Ah, fuck.."

Daryl's pelvis met Beth's ass repeatedly and he buried his face in Beth's neck with a deep and sudden groan, shuddering hard as he started to release. "Beth, Beth."

Beth let go at that moment, giving into the work of Daryl's hand and the feeling of his cock pulsing inside her as she released herself, every nerve ending on her body was lit with a hot, white fire. She grunted softly and whimpered Daryl's name, her head dropping forward and her body trembling.

Daryl slowly thrust in and out a few times as his orgasm finished and even after, prolonging his time inside Beth while Beth drifted into after-sex euphoria. She glanced over her shoulder with a lazy smile and Daryl bit his bottom lip as a smirk quirked his lips.

They stared at each other for a moment before they both grinned. Daryl shook his head and pressed his forehead to Beth's shoulder, taking a deep breath and chuckling. "Jus'...Oh my God."

"I know.." Beth replied with similar awe in her voice.

"I feel like the biggest idiot in the world fer stoppin' us from doin' that sooner," Daryl sighed, pursing his lips and straightening himself up to slowly pull out of Beth.

Beth frowned at the sudden feeling of emptiness but was happy she could collapse into the bed, which she did and immediately regretted how she landed on her ribs. "Hell.."

Daryl looked at her worriedly while he cleaned his hand off with a tissue and then wrapped the used condom in another. "Hurt?"

"Like hell, but I couldn't care less right now," Beth replied and stretched her legs out on the bed, turning to lay on her back and looking up at Daryl.

Daryl looked over Beth's body and took a deep breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm goin' ta go git ya some more painkillers an' ice 'fore I end up tryin' ta fuck ya again," he stepped off the bed and staggered a bit out the door. Beth watched his ass with every step.

"You look way too good naked," Beth observed when Daryl came back with the remedies. Beth took the pills gratefully and hissed when the wrapped icepack was pressed gently against her jaw.

"Hell, don' even. I could eat ya fer days. So damn beautiful...might have ta give ya round two 'fore we go ta sleep," Daryl responded, putting another cold compress on Beth's ribs, making her shiver.

"I don't see any problems with that," Beth cocked an eyebrow, holding the icepack to her jaw and laying on her unhurt side when Daryl laid down next to her. He still held the ice against Beth's ribs and pulled the sheet up over them to help abate Beth's shivering.

"Oh, neither do I. But then I think 'bout how I already made ya sorer than ya would have been an' I start ta feel like shit," Daryl frowned slightly.

"You only made me feel good. It only hurt because I was a virgin." Beth murmured and pressed her forehead to Daryl's, yawning softly.

"Jesus fuckin' Christ, ya were? Fuck..." Beth felt his cock begin to hard again. "Ya need sleep.. Yer goin' ta feel like hell tomorrow,"Daryl quickly said, scratched his short nails up and down Beth's back comfortingly after propping the icepack against her ribs, murmuring, "I really am fuckin' proud o' ya."

Beth couldn't help but smile a little, she was proud of herself too. "I barely won though. I seriously thought I was going to lose. I did."

"But ya won. Even if ya hadn', ya fought hard. Nobody could keep their eyes off o' ya. I swear, every guy in that crowd had a hard on fer ya.." Daryl wrapped his arm around Beth possessively and Beth laughed lightly.

"You're the only one who got to use theirs on me," she closed her eyes and settled against Daryl's chest comfortably.

Daryl looked down at Beth and bit as his lip thoughtfully before kissing the top of her head while Beth was already starting to fall asleep. "Tomorrow we get paid."

"Mm.." Beth replied, the pain in her body giving way to exhaustion and relaxation from Daryl's fine work.

Daryl watched Beth's face and rubbed his thumb along the swollen lower lip before reaching to switch the lamp off. He held Beth as close as comfortably possible with the ice packs in the way and closed his eyes before whispering. "Yer goin' ta be a star, Darlin'.."

Even as she was nearly asleep, the idea of fame from fighting wasn't something Beth was sure she wanted. Part of her had hoped that after this fight it would all be over, but she knew she had a long road ahead of her. It was imperative not to think of the future now, and simply live in the safe moment where she was being held and cared for by Daryl.

Beth drifted off with thoughts of punches, pleasure and fleetingly, Merle's earlier words about Daryl's heart-breaking reputation.


	15. Deal

**SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! I love each and every one of you guys for reviewing! Here's chapter 15 :) thank you!**

Beth awoke with the pressing realization that she wasn't in her own bed and the dull, throbbing ache of her injuries. When she reached for Daryl, she found that his side of the bed empty. Slowly opening her eyes and sitting up in the most delicate way, she searched the room for any sign of him. The clothes that had been strewn on the floor without a care were picked up and set on a chair and there was a fresh glass of water and pain killers on the bedside table next to Beth's phone. Daryl had obviously been up for a while.

Maggie had, as expected, texted Beth multiple times, asking in various crude ways if she was hooking up. Beth quickly sent her a text back, saying that she'd be home later and not to worry and then she readily reached toward the pills, feeling an increasing throb in her head. After taking the little lifesavers, Beth got up and stumbled over to grab her bra and panties, feeling even more exposed in the light of day. She put them on and groaned with every bending movement. She hadn't expected it to feel this horrible.

"The day after is always the worst.." Daryl's voice came from the doorway where he was holding a mug in his hand and wearing an indiscernible expression on his face. "I made ya coffee."

"Thanks," Beth murmured, wincing when she looked down at the dark purple color of her ribs. The magic haze of the night before had given way to the harsh reality. Against all expected odds, she had won the fight last night, and against even greater odds, she had slept with Daryl. It all came washing back over her just as the pain crept progressively through her sore body.

"Ya need ta take it easy today; rest an' relax an' put ice an' heat on yer injuries. I'm sorry I can' offer any more advice than that," Daryl sighed and averted his gaze to the ground. Beth casted him a glance and saw that he was fully clothed in sweatpants and a t-shirt. He clearly hadn't planned on anything happening between them that morning. Even if Beth wasn't physically up to it, she would have liked to have seen Daryl at least consider wanting it.

"Don't worry, I won't be doing much of anything today," Beth bit down on her lip and hissed when she hit the tender spot. "I'll just grab my stuff and get out of your way," she cleared her throat uncomfortably, feeling helpless to read Daryl's mood.

Daryl furrowed his brow and walked toward Beth, setting the coffee on the nightstand. "I didn' say ya had ta leave.. Stop," he took Beth's pants from her hand and tossed them back on the chair. "I'll lend ya some clean clothes an' ya can shower here. I was goin' ta make breakfast but I didn' know what ya liked, so.." It was then that Beth realized that Daryl was just as nervous and unsure as she was.

"Um.. I usually just eat cereal, honestly," Beth smiled a little. "A shower sounds great.. Thank you. But really, I should just go home and do some school work. Monday doesn't wait."

"So, yer sayin' that yer ready ta face an' tell yer kin why ya look like this?" Daryl raised his eyebrows with a look of surprise.

"Oh god," Beth brought her bruised hand to her forehead. "I didn't even think about that.. I'm an idiot. I can't exactly say I fell down the stairs again, can I."

"Na, I don' think ya can," Daryl pursed his lips. "Why don' ya shower an' think about it a bit?"

Beth picked up the cup of coffee, taking a few sips and nodding. "Yeah, I think I will. Thanks," she looked at Daryl for a minute. For some reason, she didn't feel like she had the right to just lean in and kiss him. She thought after the night before, things would be different. But as it turned out, Daryl still seemed untouchable.

Daryl gazed back at her with a tight but curious expression before breaking it to go and gather clean clothes for her, which he handed to Beth in an impeccably folded pile. Daryl was a bit of a neat freak, Beth had noticed, which was the opposite of her.

After showing Beth how to get the shower water started, Daryl went off to the kitchen and Beth was left alone with her thoughts and pain, which were beginning to become interchangeable. Why did she feel like she'd been friendzoned and Daryl was just trying to be nice about it?

The hot water was almost unbearable at first to her injuries but it quickly became a sweet relief. She washed her hair and body with careful attention and she was lost in the cleansing when she heard the sink going in the bathroom. "Daryl?" Beth called from behind the fogged glass shower door.

"Ya, sorry, I was jus' brushin' my teeth.." Daryl cleared his throat and Beth heard him put his toothbrush up and watched his blurry figure lean against the counter with his head tilted down.

"Everything okay?" Beth asked after a moment in a timid voice.

She saw Daryl shake his head slowly. "Not really."

Beth closed her eyes and let out a quiet sigh, letting the water run over her hair and back. "Do you regret last night?" She questioned hesitantly.

Daryl exhaled loudly and pushed his hands into the pockets of his sweats. "I woke up feelin'like an asshole."

"Why? I'm fine," Beth replied quickly. "You have no reason to feel like that."

"I do.. I dragged ya into this whole mess an' then fucked ya while ya were hurt. But that ain't even the worst o' it.."

Beth raised her eyebrows, stepping out from under the spray so she could hear better. "What's the worst of it?"

"The worst is.. When I woke up this mornin' an' saw ya layin' next ta me.. I wanted ya all over again. So I got up an' left ta keep it from happenin'," Daryl murmured in low voice.

"Daryl.." Beth felt a pleasant swirl in her stomach at the admission. "Come in here."

"That's a terrible idea, Beth." Daryl sighed with mild annoyance and brought his hands to his face.

Beth opened the shower in response and poked her head out. "No, come on. Please. I don't want a wall between us anymore," Beth nodded to the shower door but both knew the double meaning in her words.

Daryl looked up at her with a conflicted stare, but with a resigned nod he started to undress. Beth pushed the door open and stood and watched, both feeling unabashed in each other's nakedness. Daryl stepped in and shut the door, standing in front of Beth with closed eyes.

"Hey.." Beth put her finger under Daryl's chin and softly pressed her lips to his. Daryl responded slowly but meaningfully. "I'm okay, I swear. I'll get used to this and I'll get tougher. I'm sorry but, even if it made me hurt more, I don't regret last night. I don't," Beth shook her head adamantly.

"Ya sure?" Daryl whispered, slowly opening his eyes and searching Beth's.

"I'm sure. Relax.." Beth wrapped her arms around Daryl's neck and pressed her body against his as tight as she could without hurting her ribs.

Daryl's arms came around her waist and for the moment, their nude touching forms didn't equate to something sexual. Beth could feel relief spreading through Daryl as he let out a long breath and walked his rough fingers up Beth's wet spine.

"I don' regret it either," Daryl mumbled near Beth's ear before pressing a few light kisses to her abused jaw.

Beth pulled him under the water and their lips met in a firmer kiss. "Good, because I would have kicked your ass if you went all cold on me now."

"Oh really?" Daryl let out a throaty chuckle. "I don' think yer fit ta fight me in this state."

"I'd wait until I recover and then get you when you're least expecting it," Beth wiggled her brows and pushed some strands of wet hair out of her face.

"I think yer underestimatin' my abilities. Let's jus' say yer lucky y'all never have ta fight me," Daryl replied lightly.

"Oh, I definitely know you've got good abilities.." Beth said with an obvious allusion to the night before.

Daryl laughed again and Beth felt the doubt continue to melt away between them. "I was goin' easy on ya, fighter."

"Hmm.." Beth slid her tongue briefly over her lower lip and leaned close to Daryl's ear to whisper, "I don't know, it felt pretty hard to me."

Daryl growled and his fingers tightened on Beth's hips, pushing her away a little. "Girl..."

The resistance and heavier breathing only encouraged Beth as she bit down on Daryl's earlobe, sucking on it and pulling it with her teeth.

"Beth.." Daryl almost whimpered. "Please, stop.."

"You're not going to hurt me.." Beth whispered and kissed the earlobe soothingly, pulling back to look at Daryl with a vaguely cocked brow.

"I ain't goin' ta fuck ya when yer hurt like this," Daryl said resolutely and Beth groaned when Daryl moved away from her.

"Alright, alright. Maybe you should get out then because you're not exactly easy to resist when you're wet and naked like that," Beth grumbled and rolled her eyes, turning away from Daryl to face the pouring water.

Daryl bit back a laugh and reached for the bottle of soap, putting some in each hand. "Maybe 'fore I go though.. I should help ya finish washin' up."

"Huh? I think I washed myself pretty thoroughly, oh.." She moaned when Daryl ran his soapy fingers along her clit in long and smooth strokes. "Oh God.." She turned and leaned her forehead against Daryl's, her eyes immediately slipping shut.

Daryl continued to stroke as he brought his other soapy hand to Beth's and rubbed the liquid over it before pointedly guiding it to his own cock. Beth quickly closed her fingers around Daryl's length and matched the pace that was working on her opening. They panted against each other's lips between intermittent kisses and their hands moved faster and faster.

"Ahh.." Daryl groaned when Beth sucked on his lower lip and twisted her palm over the head of his cock, jerking her hand back down. "Fuck.."

Beth's stomach contracted at the pleasure building inside and she moaned into a particularly deep kiss after a moment. "I'm gonna come.."

Daryl's hand accelerated in a more determined way, his own body tensing as he grew closer to his orgasm. Beth came first, her body trembling during her release, and Daryl followed quickly after, unable to resist the guttural sounds of relief that were coming from Beth.

"That was.." Beth took a deep breath, "just what I needed," they said at the same time and faint laughter followed.

"An orgasm can be a pretty effective painkiller," Daryl smiled smugly to himself while he washed off, giving Beth's lips a firm kiss. "Come on.. I'll make ya a real breakfast. Fuck yer lame cereal," Daryl stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist.

"There's nothing wrong with my cereal!" Beth narrowed her eyes and took the towel that Daryl offered her next.

"Yer jus' too lazy ta cook a proper breakfast," Daryl shrugged his shoulders and flashed a playful grin.

Beth couldn't argue with that because it was the absolute truth. "Alright, show off your breakfast making skills. You're full of surprises, you know?"

"Ya have no idea," Daryl looked over his shoulder with an ominous smirk.

"That was beyond cliché," Beth scoffed but had to admit she was intrigued.  
_

"If it was your goal to make me so full that I'm unable to leave, you've succeeded," Beth groaned and put her hand on her stomach. "I ate way too much."

Daryl had made pancakes and bacon, which just so happened to be two of Beth's weaknesses. They had been outlawed in his apartment because while they were too much to resist for Beth, they were even more of a temptation to Maggie. The roomies had gotten into more than one scuffle over the last pancake and piece of bacon. It was best to leave it at that.

"I'm jus' the cook, I don' have any ulterior motives," Daryl swallowed his last gulp of orange juice and licked his lips.

"How did you learn to cook so well, anyway?" Beth asked as she lazily drifted over to the sink to rinse off her dishes like a good guest. "The result of countless morning-after encounters?"

Daryl glared over at Beth. "Do I really seem like the type that would cook breakfast for any bitch I've had in my bed?"

"Well.." Beth motioned toward the remnants of the food with one hand. "Yeah, kind of."

"I picked up how ta cook out of necessity," Daryl's stature went tight.

"You mean.. You didn't have anyone to cook for you?" Beth questioned.

"Ha. Can ya imagine my dad wakin' up early ta cook me a healthy breakfast 'fore school?" Daryl rolled his eyes hard.

"What about your mom?" Beth pressed with an obvious lack of encouragement from Daryl.

Daryl exhaled and stood up to gather more dishes. "Ya through with all o' this?" he asked but didn't wait for Beth to answer before pushing past her to wash the dishes off.

Beth had clearly touched a nerve. With any other subject, Beth would take this opportunity to share a personal and relatable experience. Her empathy could make Daryl feel more comfortable with talking about a topic that he was tight-lipped about. But, parents were not something that Beth was ready to talk about with anyone. Not even Daryl.

"Here, let me help you," Beth put the juice and butter back in the fridge and brought dishes over to the sink, pressing a little kiss to Daryl's cheek and wrapping her arms around him from behind. "I don't care how or why you learned to cook, I'm just happy that you feed me."

Daryl let out a small huff of laughter and put his wet hand on Beth's arm, squeezing it briefly. "Yeah, yeah. There are ice packs in the fridge, get a couple an' go lay on the couch. Yer bugging me," Daryl answered in a teasing tone.

She kissed Daryl's cheek again and nodded. Even though Daryl didn't sound mad, Beth could tell that he needed a moment to himself. Beth really did need to learn to shut up sometimes.  
_

The afternoon had consisted of sleeping, pain pills, food and half-assed fooling around. It was oddly comfortable and easy, which wasn't always the case with Daryl. However, it only took Daryl mentioning that they had to go meet up with the crew, to make the unease return in Beth's stomach. When they entered the one-story office building that had obviously seen better days, the feeling worsened. Beth had to wonder where they found these shady places for their unsavory meet-ups.

Merle's grim smile only added to the unpleasant vibe that was sourcing through the fluorescent lit room where they sat around a worn card table. Beth gulped and she felt Daryl's foot lightly bump her under the table. When Beth lifted her gaze, Daryl wasn't looking at her, but Beth knew he was just trying to say that it was okay.

Knox, Leech and a sleepy looking guy called Grim all sat fiddling with their phones while Merle counted the cash in his hand with great delight. Beth blew out a dramatic breath and glanced at her watch. She really hadn't intended to spend this much of her Sunday like this, though she didn't regret the time with Daryl.

"Alright, ya did pretty good, kid. But not great," Merle looked at Beth with a hard expression as he evened out the stacks of money by tapping them on the table. "'cause it was yer first fight, an' ya gotta earn yer status with us, ya won' make as much as ya could later on."

Beth didn't think that seemed fair and from the look on Daryl's face she could see that he agreed. However, Beth wasn't in this for the money, and she didn't think that starting shit over it was in her best interest. So she kept her mouth shut and simply nodded with her lips set in a firm line.

"I'm goin' ta give ya $3,000 an' ya three boneheads get $1,000 each," he motioned toward Knox, Leech and Grim. "Dixon, ya git $2,000 since ya had t train her prissy ass, an' I'll keep the rest."

Beth had never been given that much cash before in her entire life. She wasn't even sure if she'd had that much in her bank account at one time. She took the money and looked down at it with subtle awe and jerked when Daryl kicked her leg under the table and smirked at her in amusement.

Merle shoved a sizable wad of cash in his pocket and Beth blinked. "How much is your cut?" A silence fell over the rest of the guys and Beth knew she'd asked a bad question.

"Why ya wanna know, huh?" Merle got immediately defensive. "If it wasn' fer me, ya wouldn' have fights, ya wouldn' be makin' money, eh? It's none o' yer goddamn business." Daryl looked at Beth with a light shake of his head.

Beth obeyed and held back the urge to say that if it wasn't for Merle, she wouldn't have to fight in the first place. "Right, sorry. I'm just naturally curious," Beth murmured and cast her gaze submissively downward.

"'member what I said 'bout learnin' yer place, Priss? Looks like ya need more work," Merle stood up and grabbed his jacket roughly. "Baby brotha, I need ta talk ta ya fer a minute."

Daryl nodded and stood up, sparing the briefest of glances at Beth before walking over to the corner where Merle put his arm around his shoulder and they both ducked their heads down to talk. Beth fought another twinge of curiosity and focused on getting her jacket on and carefully pocketing the money. She was quite worried that the shallow pockets of her skinny jeans wouldn't hold it.

Leech laughed at the struggle as Beth jumped a little to push the money down as deep as he could. "Maybe you should buy some looser pants, kid."

"Nah, these make my ass look great," Beth replied casually and bit back a laugh at how quickly the guy's mouth snapped shut and his eyes looked away.

Daryl looked tense when he walked back over, but he usually did, so Beth had no way of knowing if something was up. All she knew was that they couldn't leave together because it would raise suspicions.

Beth gave him a nod and a look before going toward the door. "See you all later, I guess," she waved lamely and walked out into the cold, feeling especially aware of how much it would suck if she got mugged on that particular evening.  
_

Beth was almost to her apartment and had already plotted how to sneak up the fire escape and get straight into bed. She would just pretend that she came home hours before and Maggie hadn't noticed. As stupid as it sounded, this had actually really happened a few times. If her sister happened to be watching anything on TV with boobs or food, she was shockingly unobservant to anything around her. At least Beth would have until the morning to come up with a ludicrous story to explain her wear and tear.

"Hey, wait up!" Daryl called out and jogged up to Beth, his breath visible in the frigid night air.

Beth looked at him in confusion. "What.. What are you doing here?"

Daryl glanced around them and shrugged his shoulders, his hands pushed into the pockets of his oversized jacket. "I jus' wanted ta make sure ya got home alright."

"Really?" Beth's lips turned up in a faint smile. "Yeah, I guess I'm alright. I was just figuring out how to sneak in, is all."

"Why don' ya jus' use the front door. Ya live here, 'member?" Daryl creased his brow incredulously and wet his lips.

"Ah, yes, thank you for reminding me," Beth rolled her eyes and kicked at Daryl's shin. "What'd Merle want with you, anyway?"

"Oh.." Daryl's face turned serious. "He's got a big fight in the works an' he wants ta put me in."

"You mean.. You'd be fighting?" Beth felt an inordinate amount of worry come over her.

"O'course, that's what I do. Er did ya forget? Maybe ya jus' think it's my job ta cook fer yer ass an' fuck ya real good now," Daryl's tone was light but his words had impact.

"No, no, I know that's not your job," Beth huffed and bit the inside of her cheek. "I just.. Got used to you not fighting, that's all. You say it's a big fight?"

"Yeah, a guy from outta state that's supposed ta be undefeated," Daryl mumbled and rocked on his feet a little, shivering. "Fuck, it's cold out here."

Beth felt annoyed at how Daryl was downplaying. "So, why does it have to be you who fights? Why not Knox, Leech or that Grim guy?" Beth crossed her arms over her chest.

"'Cause they don' have my track record. I guess ya don' know it but I'm undefeated, too. Don' fuckin' doubt what I'm capable o'," Daryl glared faintly and shook his head.

"I don't doubt it, I just don't see why you have to be the one. It seems like Merle makes you do the most out of everyone," Beth replied in a clipped toned.

"Maybe 'cause I'm the best an' he trusts me? God, Beth, ya know how ta change my mood from great ta shit in a matter of seconds," Daryl brought his hands to his temples and rubbed them. Beth fell silent and glared down at the ground.

"Look.." Daryl said carefully after a moment. "I know what I'm doin'. Been doin' this fer a long time. Have a little faith in me, alright?" Daryl's whispered voice sounded closer and Beth looked up to see Daryl right in front of her.

Beth let her forehead press into Daryl's as she nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, I find myself worrying about you for some inexplicable reason."

"Ya know.. As annoyin' as that is, I don'mind it," Daryl mumbled and sighed deeply.

"Why don't you?" Beth pulled back to look at Daryl's face and put her cold hands around Daryl's.

"I never had someone that worried 'bout me," Daryl admitted lowly.

"Oh," Beth barely uttered the word. There were a million things she could say in that moment, but she had learned not to push Daryl when he was opening up, so she chose to give Daryl a soft kiss on the lips.

Daryl kissed her and pulled back after a minute, breathing warm breath against Beth's cold lips. "Ya never told me, why are ya needin' ta sneak into yer own apartment?"

"So my sister doesn't see me like this.. I just need the night to sleep and figure out what the hell I'm going to say," Beth frowned and glanced up at her apartment.

"Why do ya think I'm here?" Daryl took Beth's hand and laced their fingers and Beth looked at him with a baffled expression. "Ya need someone Beth, someone outside all o' this shit. If somethin' happens, ya need a person ta turn ta an' someone that can take ya away from all o' this if necessary."

"But.. You -" Beth started.

"No, listen, in a perfect world, I'd be there fer ya an' ya be there fer me if somethin' went wrong in a fight. But who knows, maybe we'll both be knocked on our asses an' I won' be able ta care fer ya like ya need," Daryl spoke clearly and looked Beth straight in the face.

The logic was sound, but Beth wanted to piss herself when she thought of facing Maggie's judgement and seeing the concern and hurt in her eyes. "Just.. I don't know what to say. I'm so used to lying, you know? Telling the truth seems almost.. Impossible."

"I'm gonna help ya," Daryl murmured near Beth's ear before kissing her temple lightly.

"Maybe she'll try to kick your ass.." Beth warned.

"Let her hit me if she wants to, I deserve it," Daryl sighed out and nudged Beth. "Come on, let's go. Fuck, I feel like I'm meetin' the parents er somethin'."

Beth tensed a little but forced out a light laugh. "She's not that bad. Just kind of obnoxious," She whispered and they started to climb the stairs. "Hey.. Thank you for this."

"I got yer back, Darlin'. I don' really know what we are.. but I know I don' want ta see the people that care 'bout ya turn 'gainst ya."

"I've got your back too, Daryl. I know I'm not as tough and intimidating as you, but.. I can do a fierce bitch-face when necessary," Beth smirked and then laughed when Daryl rolled his eyes.

"Please. I'll let ya know if I need ya ta give someone the bitch-face fer me, deal? Let's go, I'm fuckin' freezin'," he opened the apartment building door for Beth and they walked forward toward the unknown.

"Deal," Beth breathed out and hoped that Maggie was watching something on TV so maybe that could help lessen the blow. No matter what though, she was absolutely going to flip the fuck out and Beth knew it.


	16. Meeting Maggie

**I'm gonna need 8 lovely reviews for this chapter ;) thank you for reviewing! I love you all! I've had a really hard day, but I had to post this before I went to bed. I love you guys!**

Maggie sat at the kitchen table with textbooks open in front of her and a severely concentrated look on her face that Beth only ever saw when her sister was looking at the menu at a drive-thru. When Beth shut the door behind her and Daryl, Maggie didn't even look up from what she was doing.

"Maybe we can just go to my room," Beth whispered to Daryl who gave her a stern look that said no.

Beth rolled her eyes but conceded. She knew she had to do this and it would be easier with Daryl by her side. "Um, what are you doing over there?" Beth asked awkwardly and Maggie jumped a little.

"Oh, hey, didn't even know you came in," Maggie mumbled without taking her gaze away from the book. "Glenn is super into history so I actually decided to study so I can try to impress him."

It all made sense now. "Oh, well, not to interrupt you from a behavior that I'd like to encourage.. But, I need to talk to you about something."

"Can it wait? I'm pretty busy. This stuff on WWII is definitely going to get me laid if I can memorize it right. I might even get an A on the test, too. Bonus," Maggie wiggled her eyebrows and Daryl nudged Beth in the sore ribs with his elbow, making her groan out loud.

Maggie immediately looked up at the noise, blinking blearily at Daryl. "Who the hell are you?"

Daryl licked his lips and took a cautious step forward. "'M Daryl, I'm Beth's friend.."

"Ohhh, aren't you like...40?," Maggie chuckled and stood up. "Just kidding. Nice to meet you," the brunette stood up and walked over to Daryl, shrinking back a little when she got close and saw how tall he was. She looked over towards her sister and did a double take at her bruised form.

"It's not as bad as it looks, I swear," Beth began preemptively, her hands held up.

"What the fuck.. Did you do this to her?" Maggie pointed a threatening finger up at Daryl and Daryl quickly shook his head and sighed.

"Do ya really think I'd come here with her if I did this ta her?" Daryl raised his eyebrow and Maggie pursed her lips.

"Then how did it happen, Beth? Look at you.." Maggie stepped closer, doing a surveying circle around her sister. "Did someone beat you up? What the hell happened? Huh?"

Beth paused for a moment. Yes, somebody did, but it wasn't what Maggie thought. "Please, let me explain everything."

"You're not in serious trouble are you? What the hell happened Beth? Am I going to have to kill somebody?" Maggie swallowed hard and a severe look of concern covered her features.

Beth frowned and looked at Daryl, shrugging before speaking in a quiet voice, "no."

"Then you better spit it out," Maggie crossed her arms and went to sit in the chair in the living room, nodding toward the couch. "Sit and talk, now."

Bill immediately obeyed and sat down on one end of the couch. She was relieved when Daryl sat right next to her instead of the other end. Her being by him instilled a bit of confidence in her quickly waning demeanor.

"Well.." Beth wrung her fingers. "Should I start from the beginning?" Beth looked toward Daryl in question.

"Start at the part that explains why you look like you got your ass handed to you," Maggie snapped and Daryl looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"Why don' ya give her a chance ta speak? She'll explain it the best she can an' I'll answer anythin' ya want ta know, too," Daryl spoke in a gentle voice with a very slight edge of warning.

Maggie glared but kept her mouth shut, her lips set in a straight line. Beth leaned against Daryl and wet her lips, taking a deep breath.

"That night a while ago when we went to the club with Carl and Lizzie, I ran in Daryl, who I had met before. He was in the alley behind the club.." Beth bit her lip. "He was fighting. He's an underground fighter."

Maggie's eyes widened and she looked at Daryl with curiosity and a hint of fear as she backed into her chair just a little bit.

"After his fight...I decided it would be an okay idea to go and say hello," Beth rolled her eyes at herself. "While I was talking to Daryl that night, his boss man brother or whatever showed up. I ended up getting in a fight with one of the women from the crew.."

"You.. What?" Maggie whispered. "You got in a fight? You mean, that a girl did this to you? Where is she, I'll kill her!" She sprung to her feet and Beth stood to block her.

"Hey, hey, I'm not done yet. And please, if I tell you all of this, you have to promise to keep it to yourself. Really, Maggie, this is serious stuff and I hate that I even have to involve you in it in anyway, but I can't lie to you anymore.." Beth gulped and looked her sister in the eyes pleadingly.

Maggie breathed in shakily and cursed under her breath. "Fine.. Fucking fine. But don't expect me to be understanding about shit. Keep talking," she sat back down and crossed her arms and Beth sat on on the edge of the couch, guilt rising in her chest.

"So.. This girl, I kicked her ass," Beth fought a proud smile from spreading on her lips. Maggie wouldn't like that. "And this guy...Merle was impressed by me and.. He told me I should come and fight with their crew."

"That's fucking ridiculous," Maggie scoffed. "Like you'd ever agree to something like that."

Beth sighed and looked down at her lap. This wasn't going well at all. Daryl put his hand on Beth's lower back and rubbed it encouragingly while he spoke up. "She wasn't given a choice."

"No, I wasn't.." Beth added and looked up. "He threatened me and the only, as weird as it sounds, safe option was for me to agree."

Maggie tapped her fingers together, obviously gathering her thoughts before looking at Beth incredulously. "The safe and smart decision would have been to go to the fucking cops, Beth. You're not an idiot, I don't see why any of this shit happened."

"Let me break this down for you, Mags," Beth murmured, feeling slightly annoyed even though she knew Maggie was totally justified. "This group of strange, strong and dangerous men show up in my life, and the head guy, that everyone answers to, says I have to fight. Then they disperse, I have no idea where they live in the city, how many people they're friends with that could make my life hell, or how to track any of them down. If I called the cops, what the hell was I supposed to tell them? These are professional criminals, Maggie. I would have fucked myself worse if I had tried to call the cops like an amateur."

A displeased look of understanding came from Maggie. "Okay. Go on."

"Alright, I agreed, obviously. Daryl has been training me, getting me prepared and looking out for me these last weeks. It's why I'm gone a lot and haven't really been open about it. I've been getting ready for my fight."

"Your fight? You mean, they already had you do one?" Maggie looked at her in surprise.

"Yeah, last night.. It's why I look like this.." Beth murmured.

"You clearly got your ass kicked."

"Actually.. She won," Daryl whispered and looked at Beth with a faint smile.

Maggie looked between them. "Really?"

"Really, I won my first fight," Beth nodded slowly.

"You mean your first and last fight," Maggie hedged.

"Mags.." Beth sighed.

"No, this is so fucking stupid!" Maggie stood up and started pacing. "You're a good girl, Beth. You're smart, you do great in school and you never so much as stole a candy bar from a store before this. What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that I made a choice to keep myself and the people I care about safe from harm!" Beth retorted, running her fingers through her hair.

"Oh, this is safe from harm? Really?!" Maggie gestured to Beth's appearance. "You could get yourself killed, Beth!"

"We don't fight to the fucking death. Come on," Beth rolled her eyes, her shoulders getting tense.

"That shit happens accidentally all the time, doesn't it, Daryl?" Maggie looked at him seriously.

"Ya, it does," Daryl replied simply and Beth looked at him as if she'd just been betrayed. "But, ya have ta know that I was there the whole time, an' if it looked like Beth was in serious trouble, I woulda stepped in. There ain't no fuckin' way I would let somebody stop me."

Beth parted her lips in surprise, her heart accelerating at Daryl's words. "You.. You would have?"

"O'course," Daryl rubbed his lips together. "I was watchin' closely jus' in case.. But ya had that fight. Ya did it without me."

"But.. Merle would have been so pissed. You would have lost him all the money," Beth whispered and tilted her head, looking at Daryl.

"Don' care," Daryl shrugged and blinked softly, dropping his head down.

"Wait, wait, wait.. There's money involved?" Maggie questioned and Beth remembered that her sister was still there.

"Yeah, a lot of money.. That's why Merle, the boss man, wanted me to fight. He thought I'd bring a big crowd and make him a lot of money," Beth sighed and leaned back against the couch, putting her hand next to Daryl's.

"So.. You get paid to fight," Maggie sat down slowly and rested her elbows on her knees.

"Yeah, we both do," Beth looked at Daryl and inconspicuously put her hand in his, breathing out when Daryl squeezed it gently.

"How much?" Maggie asked in pure curiosity.

"I got.. $3,000 for my fight last night."

"Holy fuck.." her sister mouthed, shaking her head. "But.. That's worth it to you?"

"No, it's not worth it, but at least it's something. Some sort of consolation in this mess I've gotten myself into," Beth's jaw went tight and she closed her eyes.

"Can't you get out, Beth? Please?" Maggie's voice was low and pleading and it broke Beth's heart.

"Mags.. I swear if I could, I would. You know I would," Beth murmured back. "You just have to trust me and know that I'm going to do everything I can to stay safe and to keep you safe, too."

"I don't care about me. I would find this Merle guy and kick his ass right now if I didn't think that would get you in more trouble.. I just.. I fucking hate this," Maggie shook her head, biting the insides of her cheeks.

Beth stood up from the couch and went to kneel in front of her roommate. "I know you do. But I swear to you that I'm going to be as careful as I can be.. I swear," Beth looked at her sincerely and frowned at Maggie's hurt expression.

"You should have told me before."

"I know, I know," Beth looked down with remorse.

"Does anyone else know?" Maggie murmured in question.

"No, you're the first and only. I don't want anyone else to know, please," Beth urged desperately. Beth kept her mouth shut about the fact that Dr. Morris knew she was around these guys, but not that she was fighting. Now didn't seem like the best time for Daryl to find out that Beth was taking notes on him and the guys and planning research. Besides, that wasn't Beth's priority anymore, even though it should have been.

"If it gets worse.. If you keep coming home looking like this, I don't think I can just stand by and watch," Maggie admitted and looked over at Daryl. "Seriously, maybe I won't go after this Merly guy, but I won't hesitate in kicking your ass if you don't look out for her."

Beth bit back a laugh. "Um.. You mean Merle?"

"Girly Merly, yeah," Maggie huffed and warranted a laugh from Daryl.

"That's actually pretty good," Daryl chuckled and then rolled his lips in when he saw Maggie's serious expression.

"Are you taken care of? I mean, no concussion or broken anything?" Maggie looked at her face carefully.

"I'm taken care of and all patched up. I don't have another fight scheduled so I can just heal. The boss is rough but he wouldn't send me into a fight like this, right?" Beth looked over to Daryl for confirmation.

"Nah, he wouldn' 'cause it would hurt his chances o' winnin'. At least there's that," Daryl murmured bitterly.

"Well.." Maggie patted her thighs and Beth and she stood up. "This is a lot of shit to process, and I already have a lot of history shit processing in my head from studying. I think I've heard enough for tonight.. But don't blame me if I get pissed again when I remember this tomorrow," Maggie raised her eyebrows and Beth nodded understandingly.

"Just.. Thank you, for caring about me," Beth mumbled and Maggie gave her a soft smile.

"No more lying to me, even if it'll make me mad. Alright?"

"Alright, I promise," Beth said sincerely.

"Now, gonna need you two to fuck off so I can concentrate. And by fuck off, I don't actually mean fucking because I don't want to hear that shit," Maggie plopped back down at the kitchen table.

"I was jus' gonna go. Nice ta meet ya." Daryl sighed and stood up.

"Wish I could say the same," Maggie replied flippantly and Daryl just shrugged.

"She handled it really well. She can say whatever she wants ta me," Daryl whispered to Beth as they walked toward the front door.

Beth felt so much lighter than she had in a long time. "Really, thank you for being here with me. It helped so much," Beth said quietly, pulling Daryl out of view from her sister so she could kiss him.

Daryl cupped her cheek and parted his lips, closing them around Beth's bottom one and sucking on it gently before pulling back. "I didn' mind at all," he smiled faintly. "Am I goin' ta see ya tomorrow?"

Beth frowned in thought. She had so much school work to do. "I don't know.." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Oh, wait, so am I done training?" Beth widened her eyes in realization.

"Fer now, ya. Ya need ta heal an' recuperate. But when yer next fight is in the horizon we'll have ta hit it again. I have ta start preparin' though," Daryl pursed his lips to the side.

"Then.. I'll spend tomorrow evening working on homework and maybe you can come over after you're done training?" Beth looked at him hopefully.

"I think it can be arranged," Daryl smiled crookedly and pecked Beth's lips. "Ya need sleep.. Don' forget ta ice an' stay ahead o' the pain with pills."

"I won't forget.." Beth bit her lip, feeling an urge for Daryl to stay. "Text me when you get home?"

Daryl looked at her for a moment before nodding slightly. "Gotta get used ta this whole havin' someone care 'bout me thing."

"You better," Beth whispered and pressed a tender kiss on Daryl's lips.

"I will, promise. Goodnight, darlin'," Daryl opened the door and looked back at Beth with a soft smile before shutting it.

Beth leaned against it and breathed out deeply. It had been the craziest weekend of het life, but somehow, one of the best.  
_

Beth tried to butter Maggie up the next morning by dragging herself out of bed early and getting her her favorite donuts. However, her roommate turned her nose up at the food and only took three instead of the usual six. That wasn't a good sign.

If it weren't enough to be sore as hell and have her sister upset at her, Beth was terribly behind on her work that was due that day. So she made the decision to skip class, get caught up on school work and remain hidden for just a bit longer so nobody would ask if she was in an abusive relationship or something. The guy at the donut shop had given her concerned looks that led Beth to believe he was thinking exactly that.

"So what, you skip class now too?" Maggie's low voice made Beth jump from her place in front of the computer.

"I just need to get caught up on some stuff..." Beth murmured, looking at her sister guiltily. "School is still my number one priority, I swear."

"Excuse me if I find that hard to believe," Maggie rolled her eyes.

"You've got jelly from a donut on your shirt," Beth sighed.

"Hey, don't turn this around on me," Maggie glared and stomped off, only to return moments later with another donut in hand, one without jelly. That was encouraging to Beth.

"Look.. I'm sorry that all of this happened, but I promise it isn't going to affect you," Beth looked at her sincerely.

"It already has. It affects you so it affects me. I hate seeing you like this," Maggie took a bite of her donut forlornly.

"I'm fine. I mean, yeah, it hurts but I'm managing. Plus," Beth opened her wallet and counted out five hundred dollars, handing it to Maggie. "The rent money I owe you, here."

"I don't want that blood money, Beth," Maggie groaned and stared at the pile of cash.

"Please, take it. Something good has to come out of all of this," Beth whispered pleadingly and Maggie hesitantly stepped forward and took the money.

"Thanks, I guess.. I'll get over myself soon. I know you don't have a choice in this... and if you could get out of this, you would have. I just worry about you...you're my baby sister." Maggie nodded slowly.

"Exactly. Thank you, and I know..." Beth sighed out in relief. "I'm just going to get caught up on work and ahead on some things and then I'll be back to myself, okay?"

"Alright.." Maggie conceded. "Call me if you need anything. I have a lunch date with Glenn this afternoon, so," She spoke around a bite of donut, "I better go wash the donut off of me."

"Good call," Beth smiled faintly and let it droop to a frown when her sister walked out. She was left alone with her thoughts and that wasn't something she ever liked. She turned her attention toward her books and the words she typed on the screen. She had never been so thankful for the distraction of homework.  
_

It was quite a bit later in the day when Beth decided she needed some fresh air. She had been working diligently and put a huge dent in her pile of tasks. She had even emailed her professors of that day to let them know that she was under the weather and requested her assignments that she was missing. She had already completed them and emailed them in and gotten caught up on her log for her research for Dr. Morris. It was hard to look at it in a fake objective matter when she was very much mixed up in the criminal activity, but well, lying was a second skin for her now.

She should have felt accomplished and relieved but there was still a sizable weight bearing down on her chest. The immensity of telling Maggie the truth and the leftover conflict of her first fight were really wearing on her.

She wrapped a scarf around her neck and her mouth to keep herself warm but also conceal her bruises. Her dark glasses hid a number of suspicious things and her gloves kept her swollen knuckles under wraps. To anyone on the street she just looked like a properly bundled person. Underneath it all, she knew she was damaged.

She hadn't realized how far she'd walked until she didn't even recognize the street signs. She had been consumed by her own thoughts. "Shit.." She murmured and pulled out her phone, thankful that it had maps on it. A little girl's laughter caught her attention as she wandered by a park, but it was the reason for the girl's joy that kept her attention. None other than Merle was pushing her on a swing.

"What the fuck.." Beth murmured and pulled her scarf down from her mouth, pushing her sunglasses up and onto her head. A million thoughts ran through Beth's head but the most pressing one was that Merle had kidnapped this poor child for some sort of ransom money.

There were a lot of things that Beth would stand by and let happen, but the mistreatment of little children was not one of them. She strode over with a scowl. "What do you think you're doing?" She spat.

Merle had to do a double take and he glanced at the little girl and then back at Beth. "I'll be right back, princess. Don' go anywhere?" he spoke to her in a tender voice that Beth had never heard from him.

Merle grabbed Beth's arm and pulled her toward a nearby tree, his eyes still moving to check on the girl with long black hair and olive skin, occasionally. "Why are ya here?"

"I was just going for a walk and I got turned around," Beth whispered. "What the hell are you doing with that little girl?" her voice came out harshly.

Merle furrowed his brow and then sighed. "She's my daughter, Priss."

Beth widened her eyes, taken aback. "She's.. Really?"

"Yeah, really. I only get her twice a month 'cause her mother is a bi-," he paused and took a deep breath, glancing over to the little girl as if she could hear him. "Her mother ain't the most cooperative."

"Do the guys know about this?" Beth blinked and pursed herlips.

"They got no reason ta know. I don' want her mixed up in any o' that shit," Merle shook his head firmly and gave Beth a serious look.

"But why would you get mixed up in it? You realize it affects her too, even if she doesn't know about it," Beth crossed her arms over her chest.

Merle looked at her in annoyance. "Yer a kid yerself. Ya don' have a kid, ya don' know how expensive it is ta take care o' one. Not only that but.. Hell, I want ta have her more often an' her mom ain't gonna let me if I live in a shitty apartment an'can't even put food on the table."

In a surreal moment, Beth saw a different side to the man in front of her. "You mean.. You do this for her?"

Merles face softened a little. "I ain't gonna lie ta you, it didn't start out fer her. I did it fer my own selfish reasons. But I would have quit a long time ago if it didn' bring in such good money.."

"Then.." Beth took a moment to let it absorb. "Why do you have to be such an asshole all the time? The guys would understand this and they wouldn't tell a soul."

"I can't risk that! I have ta keep being the same jerk that everyone is intimidated by er else I'll lose my standin' an' I won't be able ta provide fer my daughter," Merle rolled his lips in as if he'd said enough.

"I understand that but, why the hell do you have to be like that toward Daryl then? Why all the threats? Why can't you just leave y'all's dad out of this.. Imagine if it was your daughter and her mom was as horrible as yall's dad. Would you want her to go back to that?"

"O'course not," Merle huffed and glared hard. "Ya don' git it, kid. Ya really don'."

"Tell me what I don't get then, and I'll leave you alone and let you be with your daughter," Beth raised her brows.

"My baby brotha...Daryl is my best fighter. He is a guaranteed paycheck. The other guys are shit most o' the time, but I needed the numbers. If I had it my way, I'd jus' have him. And I guess, now you," Merle shrugged.

"So.. You're using him to get money. That's all. You're threatening him so that he won't ever go and leave you without it," Beth replied, unimpressed.

"I'm usin' him ta git money ta put away fer my daughter's future, an' give her whatever she wants an' needs. I want ta give her a life that I didn' have," Merle spoke quietly as he looked at Sophia.

Half of Beth wanted to slap the man for using Daryl, but the other half understood completely and wished she'd had a parent that would do anything for her like that. Her dad was a old drunk who lived on a farm...and her mom...she died a few years ago.

"Why don't you fight yourself? You know how to.." Beth murmured, not sure what to think of it all.

"'cause I can' go ta pick up my daughter with a beat up face. Her mom, Carol, would never let her come with me an' I don' want ta frighten my little girl, got it? If I could fight without riskin' losin' her, I would," Merle growled and rubbed his eyes with his good hand. The knife had been replaced with a metal stump. "I need ta git back."

"But.. Will you ever let Daryl go?" Beth whispered desperately.

"Why do ya fuckin' care? He's my flesh an' blood." Merle's voice turned cold and Beth gulped.

"Because he's a human being and no matter your reasons, you're treating him like an object. You're treating us all like objects.." Beth said boldly.

"The way I see it, this life is the only option we got right now. I ain't done with ya so it's best ya don' git on my bad side. Don' say anythin' 'bout this ta anyone, Priss. I mean it." Merle pushed her shoulder lightly for emphasis.

"I won't say anything," Beth looked down at the ground. She didn't know if she could keep that promise but she would try. She had something on Merle now and just maybe that secret could benefit her in the end. "Have fun with your daughter," she looked up with a nod.

"Ya, thanks.." Merle mumbled and started walking back toward her.

"Hey, wait!" Beth called and Merle turned around with an exasperated expression. "How hard is Daryl's next fight going to be?"

Merle looked at her with an indiscernible expression. "It'll be his hardest fight yet."

"Why risk him losing then?" Beth pressed.

"It'll also be the biggest amount o' money yet," Merle said simply. "Now git, I'm tired o' ya," he walked over and rejoined his daughter, pushing her on the swing as if nothing had happened.

Beth felt sick.  
_

Late that night, Beth was in bed with the covers pulled up to her chin. Her work was done and she was showered and ready to pass out. She hadn't heard from Daryl all day or night and she had already exceeded the normal number of times to text him. Any more and she would become the clingy kind of person that she couldn't stand.

She was worried but she was also exhausted. Sleep began to win and she started to drift off, only to be startled awake by a warm body pressing against her back. "Hey.." Daryl's whispered voice was near her ear.

Beth blinked sleepily and turned her head to look at him, murmuring, "how'd you get in?"

"Maggie let me in very reluctantly. She looked pissed but she was eating a giant plate of nachos so I couldn't really take her seriously.." Daryl smirked lightly and propped up on an elbow.

Beth rolled onto her back, rubbing her eye. "Where have you been all day?"

"Workin' out constantly. I left my phone at home, 'm sorry. I was gonna text ya when I got it but I decided ta jus' come over instead, sleepyhead," Daryl pursed his lips.

"Sorry I'm so tired.. It's been a long and busy day," Beth yawned and brushed her fingers over Daryl's hand.

Daryl took her hand in his, squeezing it. "It was okay though?"

Beth wondered for a moment if she should tell Daryl what she found out about Merle...but they were brothers. Surely, Daryl would've known if he had a niece. But with Merle Dixon...you just never knew. "Mm, yeah. As good as it could be considering I did homework and iced my bruises all day. Not the most thrilling stuff."

Daryl leaned down to kiss Beth's lips. "Wanna end the day with a bang?"

Beth had to laugh at Daryl's not so subtle pun. "As romantic as that proposition was, I think I'm too tired. I have class in the morning that I can't miss," she slipped her tongue lightly along Daryl's lips before pecking them again.

"Thank God 'cause 'm so tired. I jus' wanna sleep," Daryl smiled lightly and then stood up to strip down to his boxers as Beth watched him in appreciation.

"Why didn't you just stay home if you wanted to sleep? My place isn't that close to yours."

Daryl got back in bed and pressed his lips to Beth's shoulder and mumbled, "I wanted ta sleep with ya."

Beth shivered and looked at Daryls face, slinging her arm around his middle. "I missed you.." The words seemed like a dangerous admission. She was terrified of scaring Daryl off, but if she didn't start taking steps toward something more than what they were, she knew Daryl would never do it.

"Me too, Beth," Daryl sighed softly and Beth frowned.

"You don't have to say it.."

"I missed ya," Daryl nodded and kissed Beth's cheek. "Sorry, I ain't very good at expressin' myself that way, in case ya haven' noticed," Daryl smiled lightly in spite of himself.

"Nah, you hide that super well," Beth said in a sarcastic tone and Daryl kicked her leg lightly.

"Shut up," Daryl huffed.

"Make me," Beth replied.

"Too tired," Daryl yawned.

"Then stop complaining," Beth said through a contagious yawn.

"I will when ya stop talkin'," Daryl yawned yet again and Beth groaned when it caused another yawn from her.

Daryl laughed at Beth's disgruntled expression. "We need ta sleep."

"Yep," Beth replied in a soft voice, kissing Daryl's lips again and relishing in the fact that this was allowed now.

"Goodnight, darlin'. I won'a be pissed if ya wake me up with a blow job. Jus' sayin'," Daryl chuckled huskily.

Beth rolled her eyes hard and rested her head on Daryl's chest. Truth was, she'd already been considering doing that. "Yeah, whatever."

Daryl kissed the top of her head and held her securely in his arms after pulling the covers up over both of them. Everything was so warm and safe, and Beth tried her to not think about what Merle said regarding Daryl's upcoming fight. She couldn't bear the idea of this strong man that was making her feel so secure getting hurt badly by someone.

Daryl had spent his spare time training Beth to make sure she could win her fight and come out of it as unscathed as possible. Now, Beth was going to do the same for him. Sure, Daryl was more experienced and tougher, but Beth was going to be there for him and help him prepare as much as possible. In turn, it might help Beth get better at it too.

On the night of that fight, Beth would be there on the front row, ready to step in if things got bad, just as Daryl would have done for her. She would have Daryl's back, no matter the fucking consequences.


	17. I fuckin' love ya

He**llo my beautiful readers! This chapter was kinda tough to write, considering I was on a plane when I wrote it but I hope it does the job! This ones a big chapter for Daryl AND Beth ;) thank you all for the amazing reviews, as I said I will try to thank each one of you guys personally, but lately I haven't been able to. So I apologize for that! But! On to chapter 17! Please comment, fav, follow! And! I will be posting a new BETHYL fic within the next few days so keep an eye open for that ;) love you guys!**

* * *

The bass pumped through the club and Beth threw back her fifth- or maybe sixth jello shot of the night. There was little alcohol in them, so she wasn't exactly feeling buzzed or anything. The night was young and Beth felt freer than she had in a while. Daryl was training, like he had been almost constantly lately, and Beth had miraculously found the time to finish her assignments that were due the next week. So without anything tying her down, she had agreed to go out with her persistent friends.

Much to her disappointment, Daryl had asked Beth to not come to his training sessions. One, because he was working with Merle and it might look kind of suspicious if Beth showed up and stared at Daryl all adoringly like she often found her self doing. And two, because Daryl refused to let Beth's ass be a distraction, which it had proven to be.

The fact that she rarely got to see Daryl aside, Beth almost felt like her old self again. Holed up in her room doing homework each night and only venturing out when her sister nagged her or her stomach grumbled with hunger. It was nice, but it definitely seemed more blatantly boring than before.

"Hey!" Carls voice boomed next to Beth's ear and she held her hand up to it defensively.

"Carl, you're talking way louder than necessary," Beth wrinkled her nose as she looked her friend in the face.

"I'm not!" The 18 year old spoke loudly again and peeked into his shirt pocket. Beth jumped back a little when Larry's head popped out.

"Carl...You brought your lizard to a club. Really?"

Carl flashed a wide grin and nodded. "Yeah! He fucking loves the music and lights. He's all about a good party."

"Surely there are rules against having lizards here.." Beth shook her head and pursed her lips.

"WHAT?" Carl yelled even louder and Larry slipped back into the pocket.

"You don't have to yell like that!" Beth laughed and rolled her eyes.

"But the music is loud!" Carl chuckled and tucked his hair behind his ears.

"I know, but you're yelling at an inappropriate level," Beth let out a low laugh, shoving Carl on the shoulder with a gloved fist.

"Ow, you're packing a harder punch these days.." Carl rubbed his shoulder and Beth tensed.

"Uhh, just been working out, what can I say. Sorry," she patted Carl on the arm with purposeful gentleness.

"I thought it was because you're a fighter now," Carl shrugged nonchalantly and screwed up his face as he sucked on a lime wedge after taking a bitter shot of tequila.

Beth's eyes widened and her heart started pounding. "What the hell are you talking about..?" She stammered.

Carl's laugh rang out. "Dude, I'm kidding! Like you could ever fight someone. I was just thinking about how last time we were here, we saw that fight go down and you were all intrigued."

Beth felt relieved but also a bit indignant. "I wasn't intrigued and I totally could fight someone if I needed to," she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, yeah. Why don't we find you someone hot to dance with, instead," Carl's eyes scanned the crowed and Beth sighed inwardly. Carl still didn't know about Daryl and Beth wasn't ready to tell him.

A slow smile spread on Beth's lips when she spotted her blonde friend coming toward them. "Hey look, I found someone hot to dance with," Beth wiggled her brows and reached out her hand for Lizzie. "Want to?"

Lizzie grinned and sipped from her fruity drink that Beth had been diligently guarding. "Let's go."  
_

Bodies surrounded them on the dance floor, each moving in their own way but in a common rhythm to create a wave of motion. Beth definitely wasn't sober, and it felt more than good to get out of her head for a while. When Lizzie left to take a break, Beth stayed and swayed with the crowd.

Her eyes were closed and the overhead colored lights flashed against her pale skin where sweat dripped down her exposed neck. When she felt someone press into her from behind, she didn't even give it a second thought, she just went with it and started grinding her hips when she felt strong hands grip them.

Their bodies moved slowly with the music and Beth's stomach fluttered a little bit at the familiar way the stranger was handling her and how his hands were roaming up and down her sides. She opened her mouth to protest when one of the searching hands started to slide down her lower stomach.

"Do ya always let strangers touch ya like this?" Daryl's low growl of a voice hit her ear and Beth turned her head quickly.

"I was just about to stop you, actually.." a pleased smile graced Beth's lips. "What are you doing here?"

"Gropin' ya in public, what o' it?" Daryl grinned crookedly and Beth turned to face him, her arms sliding around Daryl's neck as she looked over the man's strong features in the dim lights.

"Mmm, I didn't think I'd see you until tomorrow," Beth bit her lower lip and let it slip free in a gasp when Daryl pushed his hips against Beth's abruptly.

"Well, I had somethin' that needed ta be taken care o' t'night," Daryl rubbed his clothed arousal against Beth's hip.

It was thrilling to talk about something like that in such a public place, with people only a couple of feet away from them. They were protected by a bubble of music and darkened lights, so it was almost like they were alone.

"What got you like that?" Beth swayed her hips with the music, intentionally grinding against Daryl with every slow pass and having to bite back a moan.

"Watchin' ya dance.. Fuck, it's almost as hot as watchin' ya fight," Daryl groaned and closed his eyes briefly.

"You're sick.." Beth smirked and fought a blush that was threatening to fill her cheeks. "How long were you watching?"

"As long as I could resist walkin' over. So, like, two minutes," Daryl chuckled, making Beth roll her eyes.

"So maybe we should get out of here," Beth drawled, a slow lift to her eyebrow.

Daryl pursed his full lips and let his eyes scan the area around them. "Er maybe.." he unzipped his jacket and pulled one open side of it around Beth's body as much as he could, anchoring it with where his arm held Beth at the small of her back.

"What are you doing?" Beth murmured, confused but letting Daryl maneuver her.

A small smile played on Daryl's lips as he undid Beth's pants, the jacket and his body blocking anyone from seeing what was happening between their bodies.

"You're not going to.." Beth started and finished with a moan, burying her face in Daryl's neck when he dipped a finger into her slick folds.

"Oh, I think I am," Daryl said huskily against her ear, his breathing heavy as he stroked Beth to the beat of the music.

"Fuck you, really," Beth meant to speak harshly but her voice came out as pure sex and Daryl bit her earlobe in response, giving it a sloppy suck.

"Ya like it," Daryl whispered and Beth couldn't deny that she did, not with the rising evidence in Daryl's skilled hand.

"My friends are here, Daryl..." Beth suddenly realized through the haze of her desire, her hips rolling to thrust into Daryl's hand.

"Then ya better fuckin' come fast, eh?" Daryl smirked and started moving his fingers faster, making it almost impossible for Beth to act normal.

"Ohh.. God.." Beth moaned loudly into Daryl's neck, thankful for the music that saved her from embarrassment.

"Com'on.." Daryl dragged his tongue along the shell of Beth's ear. "If ya let go fer me then I will fuck ya so hard t'night. I know ya been wantin' it."

Beth's eyes fluttered shut. "God...really?" They hadn't had the opportunity for sex lately because Beth was always fast asleep by the time Daryl got out of training. Sometimes Daryl would come and crawl in bed with her, but most of the time he'd just go home. Daryl took his craft very seriously and he meant it when he said that sex wouldn't be a distraction.

Beth pretty much had a constant case of pent of sexual frustration, so the promise of sex was enough to push her over the edge.

She came hard in Daryl's hand, which Daryl held cupped over the head to catch all of the hot juices. Daryl felt himself grow harder when Beth bit down on his shoulder to hold back a yell of pleasure. Pleasure was short of perfect...but the pain, that's what Daryl craved. He snorted. Maybe he was sick.

"God, Beth.." Daryl murmured and pulled a napkin out of his pocket to wipe his hand on before he kissed Beth, buttoned her pants, and did them up, giving her ass an appreciative squeeze after.

Beth swayed on her feet, but this time because she could barely see straight. A goofy smile was on her face and Daryl was beyond amused.

"Ya gotta wipe that look off yer face 'fore ya find yer friends, er else they'll think ya hooked up in the bathroom er somethin'," he laughed, his eyes sparkling with the blinking lights.

Beth was sort of mesmerized by it all. The alcohol, the music, the fact that she just had an intense moment with Daryl the middle of a busy club. But mostly, she was mesmerized by Daryl.

"Listen, I'm gonna go home an' take a shower but.." Daryl gave her a quick peck on her lips. "I think it'd be in yer best interest ta come over later."

"I'll come with you now," Beth found her voice, though it was hoarse. "Let me just tell them."

"No, no, have some fun. I didn' mean ta crash. Ya don' git ta see them enough," Daryl offered and zipped up his jacket casually, as if he hadn't just used it as a shield for an orgasm.

Beth couldn't argue with that, and she knew if she tried, Daryl would win. It actually pissed Beth off a lot that Daryl was better at winning arguments than she was. "Hey.." She tugged on Daryl's arm as he started to walk away.

"Ya?" Daryl looked at her questioningly.

"Why didn't you just text me and tell me to come by later.. Why'd you come?" Beth wasn't complaining, it was just her natural curiosity.

"I guess I missed ya," Daryl shrugged and slipped his arm from Beth's grasp, showing her a smile that said, 'and that's all you're getting out of me'. "See ya later."

"Yeah, see you," Beth grinned dumbly and ran her hand along the side of her hair, shaking her head.

She watched Daryl disappear into the crowd and only stopped staring when Lizzie nudged her side and handed her another drink. "Who was that fucking gorgeous guy?"

Beth sipped the drink and puffed out her cheeks. "No idea."

Maggie stood next to Lizzie and rolled her eyes hard but kept her mouth shut. Beth gave her a grateful smile; she really was an amazing sister.  
_

Daryl let Beth into his apartment, shirtless and in boxers, which was coincidentally exactly how Beth had been wanting to see him.

"What happened to you?" Beth noticed a fresh abrasion on Daryl's chest where it looked like a knife had scraped along the skin, surrounded by forming bruises in the size of a fist. When her eyes met Daryl's face, she saw the purpling around his eye. Something she hadn't noticed in the darkness of the club.

Daryl looked down with a light shrug, glancing back up at Beth without offering any explanation. "It don' hurt, I was jus' gonna put somethin' on it.

"No, really, who did this?" Beth frowned and brushed her fingers above the injury on Daryl's chest, making Daryl shiver a bit while Beth's scrutinizing eyes traveled over his face.

"If yer gonna ask me 'bout every single scrape I git, it's goin' ta git ol' real fast, girl," Daryl pulled away and walked toward the bathroom. Beth followed him and leaned against the doorframe as Daryl pulled out some antibiotic ointment, bandaging and tape.

Beth tutted and took the materials from him, carefully applying the salve, her lips tight and her mind racing. Daryl shifted to sit against the counter, holding obediently still as Beth patched him up. "Merle did this to you?" Beth spoke quietly after a silent moment.

Daryl just blinked, looking Beth evenly in the face briefly before casting his gaze aside. "I don't understand.. What reason would he have to rough you up? That's not his job," Beth murmured and smoothed her hand over the tape, pressing it down tenderly to be sure it was secure. Her lips brushed below Daryl's eye after, causing Daryl to wince and pull back, a conflicted look on his face.

"Can we jus' not talk? I don' need that right now," Daryl shook his head roughly and pulled Beth against him before any protest could occur. Beth rested her chin on Daryl's shoulder, inhaling the faint scent of her soap and trailing his hands down her back.

"I'm sorry.." Beth mumbled. "I have a hard time not questioning things I don't understand. I've spend time in school being taught to do just that," she smiled wryly.

Daryl kept quiet but his hands kept busy as they tugged Beth's jacket off and pulled her shirt over her head. Beth's body went lax, her limbs moving in whatever way Daryl wanted until she stood only in her under garments. She couldn't help but shudder at the way Daryl's eyes drank in his exposed skin, as if she were just the refreshment he needed. Her stomach swirled in anticipation when Daryl grabbed her hand and led her to the bedroom.

"Daryl..." Beth moaned and fell back against the bed with Daryl on top of her, a hard grind already starting with their hips. Their lips met roughly at first but slowly the kisses became deep and languid, their tongues tangling in a tried and true way.

Beth sighed through her nose, her hands moving up and down Daryl's strong back and her legs spreading to create ultimate contact between their groins. Daryl rolled his hips down in repeated circles, the friction spurring a delicious buzzing sensation in their lower stomachs.

Daryl reached his arm back and pushed his boxers down over his ass, guiding them down his legs so his bare erection bumped against Beth's clothed center. Daryl cursed deliciously at the wetness of her panties. He snaked a hand behind her back and unsnapped the fabric that covered her breasts. Beth was careful to not touch Daryl's injury, but that was the only lingering though on the subject when Daryl started kissing along Beth's chest.

He sucked the little hard tip of Beth's nipple, rubbing his tongue expertly over it and using his teeth to give light tugs. Beth whimpered and lifted up her hips when the feeling spread straight down to her pussy.

Daryl let out a throaty chuckle at Beth's reaction and pressed his hand down on Beth's prominent hip bone, pinning her to the bed and lifting his head to look over Beth's face. "God, yer needy."

"It's your fault for treating me like that," Beth's voice was low and she grunted a little when she tried to lift hers hips again.

Daryl kept his hand firmly in place and licked at his lips, his lashes fanning down as he looked over the planes of Beth's chest and the way her arousal was dripping wet through her panties. "I think.. Ya want ta be fucked badly. Don' ya?" Daryl tucked his fingers in the string of Beth's panties, pulling them down her long legs at a tortuous pace. His fingertips leaving burning trails when they brushed over her skin.

Beth bit her lip and cocked a brow defiantly, a little smirk set in place with a shrug of her shoulders. "Do I?"

Daryl glared down at her and pinched the inside of Beth's pale thigh, making her leg twitch. "Tell me ya want it.."

"Want what?" Beth teased but her voice betrayed her nonchalance.

Daryl took his cock in his hand and bumped it against Beth's thigh, making Beth swallow hard. "I know ya want it...ya want my thick cock in yer little, wet, pink pussy." Daryl growled in her ear, biting her earlobe lightly. Beth breathed out shakily, trying to keep what little composure she had left.

"Yer so wet fer me...so fuckin' wet. So fuckin' beautiful. Prettiest smooth, tight pussy I've ever seen." He pulled away and looked in her jaded eyes. When he didn't receive an answer, but a slight tremble instead, he kept his dark eyes on Beth while he started to tug on his length, giving it long and twisting strokes, glistening drops spreading over the skin.

Beth watched with swollen, parted lips, her cheeks heating up and her thighs becoming wetter as her juices flowed down her folds. Suddenly her teasing game seemed like it was the worst idea in the world. Yes, it definitely was. "No, stop," she shook her head quickly, swatting at Daryl's hand.

"Why? It feels fuckin' good.." Daryl pushed his hips forward into his hand, grunting and closing his eyes.

"Daryl, stop, you'll come," Beth moaned and got up on her knees, putting her hand around Daryl's wrist to try to stop his movements.

"I think that's the point," Daryl groaned and pressed his forehead against Beth's, not bothering to stop his strokes.

"I want you to come inside of me, asshole," Beth pushed at her stomach and Daryl cracked open an eye, a pleased smirk on his lips.

"What do ya want, girl?"

"I want you to fuck me," Beth said with a huff and Daryl laughed, stopping his hand.

"That's all I wanted, ya stubborn brat," he sighed and pushed on Beth's chest, making her fall back easily against the bed. "Why do I put up with ya, anyway?" Daryl teased with a grin and rummaged in the nightstand drawer, pulling out a condom.

Beth scrunched her nose. "Do we uh.. Have to use one?"

Daryl creased his brows, looking at the gold foil packet in his hand. "I'd rather use it, Beth."

"I don't have anything," Beth summed up and paused when she realized she left out one factor. "Why.. Do you think you have something?"

"God, no," Daryl rolled his eyes. "Jus'..." he sucked his lower lip into his mouth, dropping his head down. "Ya, I been tested but, I been with a lot o' people.. What if somethin' slipped through that a test didn' catch? I jus', I'd rather be safe than sorry. I don' want ta risk hurtin' ya," Daryl breathed out and Beth felt her heart beat embarrassingly loud in response to Daryl's concern.

"Yeah, that's okay then," she flashed a crooked grin and Daryl shook his head.

"Yer always so difficult 'bout every fuckin' thing, eh?" he nudged between Beth's legs and leaned down to kiss her while he prepared Beth with careful attention, his fingers sliding in and out, stretching Beth pleasurably.

When Daryl put on the condom and assumed his position on top, Beth was already a ball of buzzing sexual energy, practically on the verge of coming. Daryl definitely knew what he was doing and had, as he just said, a lot of experience. In any other situation, Beth might have felt a bit intimidated by that piece of information. But with Daryl, it seemed like it was a fucking blessing. Beth was being rewarded for her years of involuntary celibacy.

Daryl slid into Beth slowly, gripping his thigh with increasing pressure while he sank in, his body tensing as he tried to keep his composure. It was unbelievably hot to watch Daryl try to keep in control when he was so obviously being overcome with pleasure. The muscles and veins of his neck became prominent and his breathing increased against Beth's jaw where he was biting and kissing.

Beth moaned deeply, a full and building pressure inside of her. She rocked her hips up to meet Daryl's deep thrusts, her breasts bouncing against his own chest. Daryl was pressed so close that Beth could feel his erratic heartbeat and it made the moment even more intimate and thrilling.

"Fuck, Beth," Daryl whined lowly when he hit a deep spot and made Beth tighten around him. He reached between them and started stroking Beth's clit desperately, feeling his own orgasm start to build quickly.

Beth was a slave to the sensation and her hips moved accordingly with the strokes and thrusts, their breathing and moaning becoming an orgasmic symphony that only heightened the arousal. Beth scratched her short nails down Daryl's back and nodded quickly. "I'm gonna come.."

Daryl let out a groan of appreciation and kept his pace with his hand on Beth and started thrusting with more abandon, no longer needing to delay his orgasm. Beth clung to him and her body tensed up, holding her breath as she released hard between them, rough jerks of her hips pulling Daryl in deeper.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Daryl let out a deep and satisfied moan, pushing his hips forward in staccato movements with each burst of release. His cock was still pulsing inside of Beth when he collapsed carefully on top of her, their lips meeting in a wet kiss.

Beth lazily slid her tongue along Daryl's, sucking on the tip and trying to catch her breath through her nose. Daryl's body shook a bit in the aftereffects and Beth smiled into the kiss. It had been even better than the first time.

However, when Daryl pulled his lips away to spread wet, sucking kisses along Beth's neck, Beth was left with an available mouth and way too many thoughts to hold back. "Daryl...I have to know what happened tonight.. Please tell me."

"God dammit, girl," Daryl growled and lifted his head, carefully but abruptly pulling out of Beth and kneeling between Beth's legs. Beth propped herself up on her elbows and her brow creased apologetically.

"I can't focus on relaxing right now if I'm worried about you, Daryl." Beth murmured and reached out for Daryl's hand, tugging on it gently.

Daryl's hand lay unresponsive in Beth's for a moment, his face laden with consternation. With a sigh, he let his fingers wrap around Beth's and he moved to slip the condom off, tossing it in the wastebasket and laying on his back by Beth's side. They stretched out and Beth squeezed Daryl's hand, staring at the ceiling and waiting to see if she had pushed her luck too much.

"We might have a problem.." Daryl mumbled and Beth's head turned in response. "Merle, he.." Daryl wet his lips, closing his eyes and tightening his jaw. "The asshole looked at my phone while I was takin' a piss."

Beth's heart paused its beating for what felt like minutes. "What did he see?"

"I mean, we're pretty good 'bout not talkin' 'bout stuff like this in our texts," Daryl motioned between them. "So, it ain't anything he read that made him mad.. It's how often we call an' text. He said there ain't no reason fer that now that yer not trainin' wit' me."

"I guess.. From his perspective, that makes sense.. What did he assume from that, then?" Beth questioned shakily, unsure if she wanted to know the answer.

"What do ya think?" Daryl raised an eyebrow high. "Even if he didn' read anythin' incriminatin', he automatically assumed 'm fuckin' ya."

"Holy shit.." Beth started to panic, raising up on her elbow quickly. "What did you say to him?"

"Well, he started layin' into me," Daryl motioned to his eye and his chest, "'fore I could even try ta explain. There ain't a lot he hates more than people fuckin' 'round on him."

Beth wanted to say what she knew about Merle, she wanted to go over to his house right then and give him a piece of her mind and a piece of her fist, but before she could launch into all that, Daryl spoke up again.

"I had ta tell him somethin' ta git him off my back, literally an' figuratively.." Daryl looked at Beth with a purely guilty expression.

"What did you tell him, Daryl?" Beth spoke with hesitance.

"Look, 'm sorry but it's what came out an' it seemed like the only way to cool his suspicions.." Daryl frowned and closed his eyes and Beth remained quiet and tight-lipped; waiting.

"I kind o' told him that ya have a thing fer me an' 'm jus' humorin' ya...'cause we need ya on the team, ya know?" Daryl mumbled and sat up on the bed. "An' I feel like the biggest asshole, 'm sorry," Daryl groaned.

Beth blinked and processed the information. It was exactly what Merle had assumed when they talked before Beth's fight. He had accused Beth of having a thing for Daryl and told her that it was a waste of time because Daryl would never want her. It made sense that Daryl would tell him that. In fact, she'd probably tell Merle that too, if she was cornered. But somehow, Daryl saying that to Merle as an immediate reaction made Beth feel sick.

She sat up slowly and brought her knees to her chest, biting down on her lower lip. "Darlin', please say somethin'...'m really sorry," Daryl put his hands on Beth's arms, his voice remorseful.

"I'm not mad," Beth shook her head slowly. "I just.. I guess that's pretty easy to believe."

Daryl furrowed his brow, tucking his chin down but keeping his gaze on Beth's face. "What do ya mean?"

"I mean.." Beth puffed out her cheeks and ran her hand through her hair. "Why would you want me? It's easy to believe that it'd be one-sided on my part."

Daryl dropped his hands into his lap, tilting his head in confusion. "Why would I want ya? Yer not bein' serious, Daryl rolled his eyes. "Listen.. Thank ya fer not gettin' mad. I said the only thing I could think o' and well, he backed off fer now," Daryl sighed, figuring the conversation was over.

"He said something similar to me, before my fight.." Beth continued on and Daryl paused. "He accused me of being into you and told me that you'd never reciprocate. He told me that you fuck people and leave them. That it's what you always do.."

"Okay, wait a second.." Daryl held his hands up. "Ya don' actually believe anythin' that comes out o' that asshole's mouth, do ya?"

Beth shrugged her shoulders lightly. "I don't know.. He's your brother, and I'm not going to assume that I'm a different case. I'm not that egotistical."

"Na, yer right, yer jus' stupid," Daryl spat and stood up, grabbing his boxers and putting them on jerkily.

"I'm stupid? For not thinking so highly of myself that you'd change your ways for me? I'm realistic, Daryl. That's what I am," Beth glared and grabbed her bra and underwear, putting them on with rough movements. "So, please, calm down."

"Yer sittin' there an' tellin' me that ya believe Merle over me! How am I supposed ta remain calm? Ya know how much I hate that asshole an' what a hell he's made my life. Did it ever occur ta ya that he might have said what he said jus' ta try ta drive ya 'way from me? He don' want me ta be happy, Beth! He don' want me ta have a life outside o' fightin' fer him, God. Think 'bout shit 'fore ya say it 'cause this is pissing me off," Daryl growled and brought his hands to the back of his neck.

Anger flared inside of Beth and brought her to her feet. "Then why did you just feed his fucked up perceptions of you by saying that you're just stringing me along? It's exactly what he wants to hear, Dar! You just proved him right."

"What the fuck else was I supposed ta say, Beth?" Daryl looked at her incredulously. "I said the best thing I could think o' ta protect us both."

"Yeah, by making me look like some obsessed and pathetic girl that's just fawning over you. Please," Beth pushed past Daryl to go to the bathroom and collect her other clothes while Daryl followed after her in frustration.

"Do ya think it woulda been better ta tell him the truth an' risk everythin'? Wow, I thought ya were smarter than that, sweetheart," Daryl crossed his arms over his chest, his jaw tight.

"I don't even know what the truth is! I don't know what everything is. I have no clue if this is just fucking, or what. I don't know if everything I'm feeling is just in my head and I'm the only one feeling it!" Beth admitted, her hands out to the sides and her cheeks flushed from her insecure words that she never wanted to say out loud.

"An' here I thought ya were good at readin' people, idiot," Daryl sighed loudly but his tone seemed a bit calmer.

Beth shrugged her shoulders, looking at Daryl with a slightly broken expression. "When it comes to you, I never know. You don't know how much that frustrates yet excites me at the same time.."

Daryl leaned against the wall of the hallway as Beth stepped out of the bathroom, looking over Beth curiously. "Why do I do that ta ya..."

Beth mussed her hair and tugged on the ends of it before dropping her hand with a resigned sigh. "I'm used to knowing what people are likely thinking and being able to predict what they'll do next. It can get really boring, but it's something I can count on. With you.. It drives me insane that I can't know what you're thinking, but it makes me feel alive too," Beth smiled wryly. "That probably made no sense, right?"

"Not a lot o' it.." Daryl's lips quirked up into a faint smile. "But I still understood ya. I guess the only confusin' part fer me is, how can ya not know?" he stepped closer to Beth, gently taking her hand and swallowing thickly.

"Know what?" Beth murmured and let her gaze drift up to Daryl's face, noting the tenseness along his jaw that was no longer due to anger.

Daryl slowly met Beth's eyes and wet his lips in deliberate thought, his voice shaky but sure. "That I fuckin' love ya."


	18. Research

**I hate rain :( early update because of the weather! MESSAGE ME STORY PROMPTS! Bethyl only! Let me know what you would like to read after this story is completed :) I love you all!**

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Beth stood with her mouth partially open in surprise, still trying to register Daryl's monumental words. She stared at him for a moment, almost as if to give him a chance to retract what he said; to correct it and pass it off as a mistake. But Daryl had nothing but sincerity gracing his features and Beth felt consumed by the truth of it.

"You.. You really do?" Beth finally found her voice through her initial doubt.

Daryl nodded slowly and chewed on his lower lip, his eyes casting down at the ground. He was suddenly itching for nicotine "Maybe it wasn' the best time ta say it, but.. I just thought if ya knew, ya wouldn' assume the worst," he cleared his throat, shifting nervously on his feet.

Beth noticed Daryl's subtle movements and body language and realized that Daryl was worrying because she hadn't said it back. "Daryl..." Beth bit back a smile.

"Ya?" Daryl said gruffly, raising an eyebrow and trying to act neutral.

"I love you," the words flowed so easily off her tongue, as if she'd said the phrase before as a casual reminder. But the weight of them was something new; a sturdy yet warm and comfortable pressure that settled onto her chest.

The smile that spread on Daryl's lips was full and genuine and his teeth gleamed when he wrapped his arms around Beth in a tight hug. "God, I was freakin' out fer a minute there."

"Are you kidding? God, how could I not," Beth murmured into Daryl's neck and closed her eyes to fully absorb the embrace.

"I...ain't ever said that ta someone 'fore," Daryl swallowed after his confession, his cheeks burning.

Beth tried hard to remain calm but her heart was beating increasingly louder and her legs began to feel wobbly. "Never..?

Daryl just shook his head and squeezed Beth tighter. "Hell, is it normal ta feel jus' as fuckin' terrified as I do happy?" he chuckled faintly.

"That's pretty much what love is, I think.." Beth smiled lightly and lifted her head to look Daryl in the eyes. "You're happy enough to be worried that you'll mess something up or lose it," Beth shrugged. It wasn't the most flattering description of love but it was certainly accurate in their situation.

"What's so great 'bout it then?" Daryl whispered, his eyes looking into Beth's as he traced his fingertips down the girls spine.

"This.." Beth whispered and pressed her lips to Daryl's in a reverent kiss. "And this," Beth brushed her lips along Daryl's jaw and induced chills down his body. "There are lots of perks, actually," Beth wiggled her brows and laughed when Daryl rolled his eyes briefly.

"Why don' ya show me some o' them, yeah? I got time," Daryl tugged on her arm and slapped her on the ass hard enough to make Beth groan in protest.

"Fuck you," Beth scoffed and rubbed the spot.

"Hmm...that's my job," Daryl laughed freely.

Beth glared hard with her eyes but the goofy grin on her lips made it arbitrary. "Oh, I'm gonna make you fall hard. Just wait," Beth stepped into the bedroom and looked over her shoulder invitingly.

Daryl smirked and appraised Beth's body as she undressed for him again, rubbing her chin and pursing her lips. "I dare ya ta." He whispered.  
_

"We need ta talk," Merle's growl came through the phone, effectively ruining Beth's hot cup of tea she was nursing at a table in her favorite coffee shop. She was working on her research, which was currently compiling statistics on the number of fatal injuries recorded per year in the business of fighting. It wasn't incredibly comforting for her to be reading such things, but she was trying to be very objective and forget the fact that she could be one of those statistics if she wasn't careful.

Beth took a deep breath and steadied hsdself for what was to come. "I'm listening," she replied dryly.

"First off, I don' like yer attitude, kid. An' I don' like ya tryin' ta seduce my best fighter like a little bitch," Merle said harshly.

Beth had to bite her lip to keep from immediately lashing out; that's not something that would help her or Daryl. "I think you have the wrong impression," she said simply.

"I think I got a pretty clear idea o' what's goin' on. Ya always callin' an' textin' him, tryin' ta git him into bed an' fuck wit' his concentration. It's pathetic, yer jus' a little girl." He paused and breathed deeply. "I need ya ta stop."

"He's my friend and I talk to my friends. I'm sorry but it's really not your business if he and I talk a lot. He's doing his job and I'm doing mine," Beth crossed her legs and sucked the inside of her cheek between her teeth.

"That ain't what he said the other night an' he don' lie ta me," Merle insisted in an increasingly annoyed tone.

Beth cursed Daryl inwardly for his selection of words to evade Merle. If she tried to convince Merle that Daryl had lied, it would put Beth back in Merles good graces but Daryl would be on the chopping block. He didn't need that right before his big fight, which was just a few days later. So, she did what she had to.

"Fine.." She sighed. "I didn't intend for this to happen." Her tone was convincing because, well, her words were the truth.

"That's what they all say," Merle's grim voice came from the phone and also over Beth's shoulder. Beth turned quickly and shut her laptop in the same moment.

"What the hell? Are you stalking me?" Beth looked at him indignantly.

"I like ta keep an eye on my merchandise," Merle cracked his neck and let his eyes sweep over the girl and sat in the chair across from her.

"I didn't invite you to sit," Beth turned up her nose and watched Merle carefully.

"Don' care," Merle shrugged and picked up a menu, looking over the drink selection. The prosthetic knife was back.

Beth grimaced and shook her head. "And I certainly didn't ask you to stay long enough to have a drink."

"Again, I don' fuckin' care," Merle kicked Beth's leg hard under the table and put on a fake smile when the pretty waitress came and took his order of black coffee. Beth couldn't help but wonder why Merle even looked at the menu if he was just going to order what was probably his regular thing. To be a dick, Beth decided. Black coffee.. Black like his heart, Beth thought inwardly.

"Here's the thing," Merle started after he had tapped the contents of an artificial sweetening packet into his brimming cup. "I can' have ya fuckin' up the way I run things. If ya weren' such a commodity ta me, I'd kick yer ass ta the curb an' make sure ya were blacklisted in the whole city."

"It astounds me that you actually believe you have such immense power," Beth put her lips in a straight line. "But okay, clearly you need me. So how are we gonna deal with this?"

Merle's eyes flared with anger at Beth's bluntness but continued on with his usual suave. "The only way I can think t handle this is keepin' ya an' Dixon away from each other."

Fighting the expression of panic that was creeping onto Beth's face was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. "I swear, I will back off. I'll stop my.." Beth paused and forced out, "advances. I will stop calling and texting him so much, but he is my trainer and I think he's the only one who could make me a better fighter."

"Ya don' know that. Ya haven't worked wit' anyone else," Merle replied but didn't completely sound convinced of his own words.

"You and I both know that. He is the best fighter, as you said, and you aren't patient enough to train my stubborn ass," Beth raised an eyebrow high. "Do you deny it?"

Merle looked increasingly annoyed as he knitted his thick brows. "You're toeing a thin line, kid.."

"I swear, I'm not going to interfere with what you've got going on, I.." Beth was cut off by an unexpected voice.

"Beth? Is everything okay?" Dr. Morris asked in concern, pushing his glasses up over his hair and hovering at Beth's side.

Beth gulped and looked between the stern man in front of her and her dear professor with a coffee stain on his shirt next to her. "Everything is fine, don't worry. Just having a drink with a...friend," the taste of the lie was bitter.

Merle looked Morris up and down with a sneer. "Who the hell are you?"

"Excuse me?" Dr. Morris widened his eyes in reaction.

"Forgive him, he's from the inner city and doesn't have the best manners," Beth spoke through gritted teeth and flashed Merle a glare. "This is one of my professor's and my graduate adviser, Dr. Morris. And.. This is Merle," Beth sighed and motioned between them.

Dr. Morris did not extend his hand, which was very wise. "Well, I won't interrupt for long.." he spoke hesitantly as he looked at Merle's scowl and then back to Beth. "I just wanted to see how your stats are going. I read your email about what you'd be working on today."

Panic, more panic. Beth had never been more grateful for Morris's propensity to be vague. "Um, they're going well. I will send you an email tonight with all of the data I've collected. Anyway, I've really gotta be going," she cleared her throat and cringed when Merle spoke up.

"Huh, what's the kid workin' on?" he asked without any actual curiosity, but rather to be difficult.

"Oh! It's pretty wonderful. You see, she's been observing a group of streetfi-," Morris started.

"ANYWAY," Beth rose to his feet with the loudly spoken word, patting Morris on the back and giving him a serious look. "Talk to you later, okay?"

Morris looked at Merle's processing expression and to Beth's fearful one and recognized what was going on. "Oh.. Oh my. Please, excuse me," he murmured just so Beth could hear. "I did not realize this man was part of it. I will be on my way. Sure you'll be okay?"

Beth really didn't know if she would be; she could see the anger rising in Merle. But, it would be worse if Morris stayed and she knew that for sure. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Go, please," she begged and Morris left with a quick nod, glancing back at Beth before stepping outside.

There was a moment of silence between her and Merle in which Beth was almost sure she would piss her pants. She prepared to run or punch Merle in the jaw, whichever was the easiest solution.

"Are ya.. Are ya doin' fuckin' research on us?" Merle scathed and pounded his fist on the table, causing several patrons to look over at them.

"Please, can we talk about this somewhere else?" Beth pleaded and dug her fingernails into her palm.

"I don' think ya want ta be alone wit' me right now.." Merle took a deep breath through flared nostrils.

"I can explain but not here. Please," Beth braved, standing up and shoving her stuff in her bag. "Come on, I trust that you won't try to kill me until you've at least heard me out," Beth spoke shakily, a sick feeling building in her stomach.

Merle stood abruptly and pushed past Beth, their shoulders knocking together as he strode to the door. Beth knew she was expected to follow, but she really just wanted to run in the opposite direction. However, she needed to fix this before it got worse and Daryl found out. He couldn't find out like this; he wouldn't understand.

Beth had to almost jog to keep up with Merle's angry strides, and when they walked up to the steps of a nice apartment, Beth didn't even have a chance to figure out where the hell they were before she was being shoved inside. She stumbled over her feet and crashed into a wall in front of her, rubbing her elbow where it hit.

"Where are we?" Beth murmured meekly, squeezing her reverberating elbow with a soothing pressure.

"My apartment," Merle grabbed her by the jacket and pulled her over to the living area, pushing her onto the couch. "Ya should feel lucky, really, none o' the guys even know where it is," Merle scoffed.

"Why would you bring me here?" Beth straightened up into a sitting position, hating herself for even thinking about asking questions at a time like this, let alone actually asking them.

"'cause I got all the shit I need in case I wanna beat yer ass an' not stop. I don' like leaving a mess behind," Merle cracked his knuckles on his left hand and sat on the opposite couch.

For the first time, Beth felt like she was in actual danger. Not even Daryl could save her because he had no idea where she was. Rather than giving into her fears, Beth just nodded and looked down at the tassels of her scarf. "You'll at least give me a chance to explain?"

"Ya have five minutes ta tell me what the fuck ya think yer doin'. Then I'll decide if yer worth it er not," Merle nodded, his expression stone cold.

Beth licked her lips before speaking quickly. "I'm a graduate student and I needed a thesis project. It takes a lot of work and time and well, when all of this happened," she motioned between her and Merle, "I realized I wouldn't really have much time anymore. Not only that, but the subject is so fascinating and I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to learn.."

"Oh, so this is jus' some fuckin' science experiment ta ya?" Merle's voice raised.

"No, no, no!" Beth insisted with big eyes. "I just figured that while I am fighting, I could get something out of it for school, too! I'm so sorry.. I've spent a lot of money on school and worked so hard, I couldn't just give it all up. I needed to try to make both work. That's my life.." Beth rubbed the back of her neck, frowning.

"So, yer sellin' us all out so ya can git a fuckin' good mark?" Merle stood to his feet and Beth cowered and held her breath, only breathing again when Merle started pacing away from her.

"That's not it at all. I'm not selling you out, your names and descriptions will never be mentioned, I swear to you! I just need to finish school and do whatever you need me to do at the same time.. I swear, I wouldn't mess this up for you or anyone.." Beth's voice shook wildly but she meant every word.

Merle paused in front of her and tightened his jaw. "This ain't somethin' ta be studied er written 'bout, ya fuckin' idiot. This is dangerous, this is illegal an' yer part o' it. Yer not better than the rest o' us jus' 'cause yer the fancy educated girl who is in this ta git a good grade!"

Beth furrowed her brow and shook her head quickly. "That's just it, I am part of it! Do you really think I would write something that could incriminate myself? No. Just as I won't do the same to you or the other guys. I am just collecting statistics and making observations. It's all anonymous!" Beth was close to tears as the words flowed out. "I'm not doing it to be sneaky or shady.. I'm doing it because.." She paused when she spotted a framed picture of Merle's little dark-haired daughter. Merle followed her eyes to the photo and then their gazes met. "I'm doing what I have to do to get by. I'm doing what I have to do to keep that piece of goodness and hope in my life," Beth spoke slowly and the words seeped into Merle in a visible way.

Dark eyes went back to the picture of his little girl and Merle dropped his head down. "Fuck you.. Fuck you! I can' fuckin' stand that ya know that 'bout me. I hate it.." he growled under his breath and Beth cringed, figuring she took the wrong route to explain her intentions.

"I.. I'm sorry.." Beth mumbled and wiped her cheek roughly as a tear spilled over and the hope she had left started to diminish.

"Don' cry, ya stupid kid," Merle shook his head and sat back down, his head in his hands. "I ain't gonna hurt you. At least not t'day."

Beth blinked rapidly and stared at Merle with an unsure expression, firmly keeping her mouth shut.

"'M still so pissed off that I can barely see straight, but I understand ya, Priss. As much as it pains me ta say that, I do. I don' like this. In fact, I fuckin' hate it, but.. I git it. I git that yer doin' what ya gotta do. That's the ugliness o' the world we live in. It's ruthless an' cutthroat," he ran his hand over his head.

Beth rubbed her lips together, giving a nod of agreement but not daring to speak out loud. Her foot tapped nervously against the ground because she did not yet feel like she was completely in the clear.

"Ya been nothin' but trouble since ya joined up. Ya don' listen, ya stick yer nose where it don' belong an' ya aren't even that great o' a fighter yet," Merle rolled his eyes and finally looked at Beth's face. "But fuckin' hell, ya got something. Somethin' that I can' let go o' jus' yet."

"I know.. The fact that I look like a little weakling but I'm tough, I get it..." Beth sighed out and closed her eyes tight.

"That ain't even it. I mean, not all o' it," Merle tone was full of conflict. "Look, I can' support what yer doin', an' if I see ya wit' as much as a notepad er pencil at a fight er durin' trainin', I really will beat the shit out o' ya. Wit' no hesitation," Merle looked at her seriously. "But, what ya do wit' yer free time is yer own shit ta deal wit'. Ya know the consequences if any o' what ya do affects me er my team. I won' be understandin' then, Priss, I fuckin' swear that I won'."

"I know, I know.. I completely get it, I do," Beth nodded emphatically. "Thank you.." the words didn't seem entirely fitting, seeing as Merle was still threatening her, but she knew that there were still things to be grateful for.

"Don't thank me yet. 'M makin' some conditions.." Merle leaned back into the couch and Beth tensed up again.

"First, I will be checkin' my baby brotha's phone regularly ta be sure yer keepin' yer word 'bout not tryin' ta pry into his pants. Second, yer next fight better be flawless. I don' want ta see ya go down fer more than a few moments an' 'm goin' ta have a couple o' trainin' sessions wit' ya too, ta be sure yer bein' serious 'bout this," Merle laid out the rules and Beth nodded quickly. They really weren't that unreasonable.

"Next, none o' the guys are ta know 'bout yer stupid little research project. It will jus' fuck with their heads an' make them feel nervous 'round ya, naturally so," Merle looked at her with slight disgust. "They shouldn' know what a little backstabber they have on their team."

Beth held back any response to that because she knew Merle was just letting out his steam still. "Yes, sir. I won't tell anything to anyone." To be honest, she was incredibly relieved that Merle wouldn't be rushing off to tell Daryl.

"I know it works in yer favor if Dixon don' know 'bout all o' this. I know fer a fact that it would bother him a lot. So, bein' that he is yer trainer an' the best shot I got at money, I won' throw ya under the bus jus' yet.. However, if ya slip up, fuck it all, I will happily tell him an' deal wit' the consequences. In fact, it would make me fuckin' joyful ta see him turn 'gainst ya," Merle smirked without shame.

"Y-yes, Merle.." Beth nodded slowly and massaged her temples. "All of this is fair."

"Well, it's as good as it's gonna git," Merle shrugged his shoulders. "I owe ya the tiniest bit o' mercy, considerin' ya are keepin' my secret fer me an' ya haven' held it over my head," he glanced at the photo. "But I don' give second chances, kid, an' I think ya believe me when I say that," he looked Beth squarely in the eyes.

"I believe it, yes.. Thank you, again. For you know, letting me do this and not, well, killing me," Beth said seriously and jumped a little when Merle laughed.

"Ya, no problem," he stood up and sighed loudly. "Yer annoyin' as fuck but..," he clapped Beth hard on the shoulder. "Just try not ta git on my bad side. I really don' want ta hurt ya, surprisingly.. But I can' stop myself when I git to a certain point."

Beth was taken aback by Merle's admission and had the fleeting thought of how fascinating it would be to have the guy in a therapy session. The thought vanished when she realized she'd have to have a weapon with her during every meeting just in case things got out of hand. Merle needed anger management for sure, but God bless the poor soul that would ever tell him that for he would likely not live to see the light of the next morning.

"You won't have anymore problems with me. Just.. I'm not very obedient and I mess up a lot. I know that about myself. But I'm really, really going to do everything I can to uphold your conditions. I promise," Beth twisted her lips to the side before slowly extending her hand.

Merle smirked lightly and crossed his arms over his chest, denying Beth's shake. "I'll believe ya when ya show me. Now, git out an' pretend ya never saw my place."

Beth didn't hesitate in leaving. She hurried to the door, shut it behind her and rushed into the nearest alley before promptly throwing up everything that was in her stomach. The stress and panic had been too much and the fear and uncertainty that was still within her made her stomach turn, even after she had gotten everything up. She slid down the wall and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, trying to catch her breath.

Life had just become infinitely more complicated.  
_

After a long shower and a thorough brushing of her teeth, Beth almost felt normal again. She had chided the unpleasant feelings away and replaced them with the positives, which were still plentiful.

For example, Merle wasn't going to kick her ass for trying to mack on Daryl, or whatever he suspected her of doing. Also, Beth was actually getting to continue her research and writing with, well, not exactly permission, but with the acknowledgment of Merle. She noted that she should only work on her project when she was home or at school; no longer in public places. And lastly and most importantly, Daryl loved her, and that could make up for a multitude of setbacks.

There was a knock on her bedroom door and Beth called out faintly, "come in."

Maggie appeared in her apron that had a naked woman's body printed on it. It was actually pretty hilarious to see her sister's body with a pair of gigantic breasts on it. It made Beth smile, at least, which was something she hadn't done since she left Merle's.

"Hey, I'm making grilled cheese. You want?" Maggie clicked her tongue, holding up a spatula and waving it toward the kitchen.

Beth's stomach was still turning a bit from its earlier activity. "I'm not hungry, but thank you.. It's pretty rare that you offer to make me food," Beth realized out loud, a bigger smile on her lips.

"I guess it just looked like you needed a pick-me-up.. Is everything okay? You know, with.." Maggie trailed off, a wrinkle to her nose.

Beth had already decided that she wouldn't share the events of her afternoon with anyone, particularly her worrying roommate. "Everything is just fine. No new fights scheduled or anything," Beth sat up in bed against the headboard.

Maggie came over and sat on the edge, tapping the spatula against her hand and sighing slowly. "You mean.. No new fights, yet."

Beth frowned but nodded softly. "Mags...I promise I'm going to be okay. You know I'm tougher than I look."

Maggie looked over at her sister with a sad smile. "You weren't always tough.. I remember when you weren't.."

Beth held up her hand, shaking her head and closing her eyes. "Please.. You know I don't like talking about it and now is not a good time.."

"Yeah, I do know, and do you have any idea how much that fucking worries me?" Maggie turned to face Beth more. "You've devoted your education to studying and helping people that have issues, people who can't bring themselves to talk about their problems. But you.. You're one of them."

Beth parted her lips, feeling speechless by the sudden attack on her. "I.." She licked her lips, bringing her knees defensively to her chest. "I c-can't do this right now, please.."

"You never could, Beth. You never can. I'm so fucking worried about you, I can barely stand it. I've always kept my mouth shut about our parents because I know how hard it is to talk about, but now.. Now you're involved in this fighting shit and I'm honestly just waiting for you to snap and breakdown. Who is gonna put you back together? Daryl? No, because he doesn't even know you. I'll be the one.. And Beth, I don't know if I'm fucking strong enough for that," Maggie looked down at her lap when she saw the tears springing from Beth's eyes. "Shit.."

Beth put her hands over her eyes, sobs wracking through her body. She was shocked at her own reaction. She knew she never handled this subject well, but she never let herself cry over it. Perhaps it was just the enormity of opposition she'd experienced in a single day.. Or maybe, it was that every single thing that Maggie said was true.

"Beth, I'm so sorry.. I'm sorry.." Maggie spoke in a pathetic voice, moving up on the bed and wrapping her arms around Beth tightly, letting her roommate collapse into her embrace. "I'm sorry.. I shouldn't have said any of that. Forget I did."

Beth choked a little and sniffed hard, her tears wetting Maggie's shirt. "N-no, you.. You're r-right," Beth whispered and took a deep, steadying breath before lifting her head, using the bottom of her shirt to wipe her eyes and looking at Maggie. "I.. I can't face my own shit. I pretend that it didn't even happen almost 100% of the time. I just.. I'm so scared that I'm going to turn out just like they expected me to."

"Beth, you're not. Okay? You're not. You're already doing so much more than our parents ever thought you would. You have to know that. If they were decent human beings, they'd be proud of you..." Maggie rubbed her arm, being more affectionate and caring than Beth had seen her be in a long time.

"I don't think they could ever be proud of me, even if I became president of the fucking United States.." Beth rolled her eyes at herself, breathing out shakily. "I don't even care about proving something to them anymore.. They aren't a part of my life. It's more about proving it to myself."

"Beth...Please, hear me out, okay?" Maggie raised her eyebrows, her face preemptively apologetic.

Beth nodded slowly and puffed her cheeks out as she exhaled. At that point, she figured she might as well have everything laid on her.

"When we were younger...You were this insecure kid who had no clue who she was or what she wanted to do. The only thing you did was try not to piss off our parents or make one wrong move. You lived in constant fear," Maggie wet her lips, pausing to check Beth's expression before continuing.

"Now, you're you.. You're unapologetic for your personality and choices. You've worked so hard to be independent and a good student. You're an amazing sister and so fucking caring. I don't know where you got that because I know you didn't get it from our parents.."

Beth put her hand to her forehead, her breath catching in her throat. Her voice came out thickly as she said, "the only thing I learned from them was to do everything different than them."

Beth had been raised in a household of pure hell. She was not shown extra affection or love just for the sake of it. She got hugs from her mom very sparingly and only when necessary, and she never received positive attention from her father other than the very seldom pat on the back. However, she got daily doses of verbal and emotional abuse from him while her mother looked on and let it happen.

When Beth had finally lost her cool her senior year of high school, she ran away from her home. It was as simple as that. Beth had never quite fit into their cookie-cutter life, but that was the final straw to them.

She had been on her own ever since then and never looked back. Maggie had found her a few years after, moving in with her. Their mom was now dead, and the last Maggie or Beth had heard about their dad was that he was a mean drunk, and had let the farm go to shit. She figured out a way to support herself and though it was always a struggle to pay bills, she was independent and didn't have to answer to anyone; that made it worth it. But, in a sense, everything she did to further herself was to produce a giant slap in the face to her old self; the one that did everything to please her parents, even though it made her unhappy.

"You shouldn't be afraid to talk about these things.. It's in your past and they will never be able to hurt you again," Maggie nodded firmly.

Beth flashed a very slight but warm smile. "Thank you.. God, you're right," she dropped her knees, processing the thoughts coursing through her head. "I guess I just got so used to ignoring it that it became almost a foreign experience. Like, when I look back, I see it as someone else's life and not my own. It's why I never dwell on it, because I prefer it like that. She exhaled deeply, shrugging a shoulder up. "It was a stupid approach.."

"No, it's what got you through it. But, guess what? You are through it now. So there's no need to be in denial about it. I just.. I don't want you to use this fighting stuff to hide from yourself more, you know?"

Beth blinked and looked at her sister in amazement. "You sure you don't want to study psychology? You'd make a decent therapist."

Maggie chuckled but shook her head. "Nah, no offense but lady psychology majors seem a bit too analytical for me.. I don't wanna get naked and then have them take notes about my boobs and performance."

"You're ridiculous, really.." Beth let out a big and genuine laugh. Leave it to Maggie to choose her area of study based on the availability and quality of women there. "But, thank you. For.. Whatever the hell this was. I promise I'm not fighting because of any of that, it's just another unfortunate thing in my life that I'm dealing with and trying to find the light through."

"You're welcome.. I trust that you can handle it, Beth, I do. I prefer it when you talk to me about stuff though, okay? And thank you for saying no to that grilled cheese because now I can have three instead of two,"she wiggled her brows and stood up. "Hey.. Do you think you'll tell Daryl about any of this?"

Beth really had to think about that one. There was no reason why she shouldn't. Beth knew all about Daryl's horrible father and brother and Daryl would certainly understand difficult parents more than anyone. Daryl had never mentioned what happened to his mother, but Beth could tell it wasn't a topic he liked bringing up, which Beth understood all too well.

"I'm open to it, I suppose.. If the timing is right."

"Well, if that timing isn't right tonight, I suggest you wash your face and try to look like you weren't crying because I just heard his knock on the door," Maggie patted her stomach and Beth hopped out of bed, going to the bathroom and turning on the water.

"Thank you, Mags. Really. Will you let him in, please?" Beth called out before splashing her puffy face with cold water.

"Yes, but only because I'm afraid he'll kick my ass if I don't.. Or that you will," Maggie shuddered and Beth flicked water from her hands at her.  
_

"Why are ya shaking?" Daryl murmured sleepily against the back of Beth's neck, rubbing up and down Beth's arm with ease.

"I'm just cold.." Beth let out a sigh of content. Though her body hadn't quite recovered from the mass of emotions of the day, she felt very calm inside and safe. Maggie's random intervention had helped him more than his roommate could know.

"Maybe we should both git naked an' press really close t'gether ta transfer body heat.." Daryl snickered and let out a wide yawned.

Beth grinned and turned her head to look at Daryl's peaceful face, gnawing on her lower lip as she debated how to phrase her next words. "Merle talked to me today.."

Daryl's body tensed and he snapped his eyes open, concern immediately on his face. "What happened? Did he hurt ya?" he pulled the blanket back and started lifting Beth's shirt to look over her torso.

"No, he didn't touch me, really. It was fine.. Intense, but fine. Come here," Beth pulled Daryl back against her. "He just warned that he'd be checking your phone to make sure we're not talking a lot," Beth shrugged, leaving every other detail out.

"That it?" Daryl asked, surprised.

"Yeah, that's it. So, we need to figure out another way to communicate, I guess.." Beth yawned and nuzzled Daryl's chest, kissing it softly.

"'M...shocked. I honestly didn' think he'd let ya off that easy," Daryl sighed through his nose, pressing his lips to the top of Beth's head. "Wow. He must have a soft spot fer ya... I don' know if I like that so much," Daryl said in a possessive tone.

"It's not.. Like that," Beth said assuredly. "He pretty much hates me, I promise you. He just figured he needs me on the team, so he can't get rid of me."

"Hm," Daryl considered this. "I s'ppose that makes sense.. Still, it's unlike him ta give in so easily. I was fully prepared ta have ta talk him down some more."

"It's wasn't so bad," Beth lied.

"Ill git another phone, jus' fer ya ya call an' text me on so he won' see our interactions," Daryl closed his eyes and nodded against Beth's head.

"You'd do that?" Beth whispered and found Darylshand to squeeze it.

"Ya, I reckon so," Daryl mumbled in a tired voice.

"I love you, you know," Beth said in a soft, sincere tone.

A goofy and sleepy grin spread over Daryl's face. "Love ya, too. Oh, by the way, jus' thought I'd mention, a mornin' blow job is a good way ta show someone how much ya love them," Daryl chuckled when Beth poked him in the ribs.

A big crash came from the kitchen and both lifted their heads at the same time, knocking them together on accident. "Fuck.." Daryl groaned and rubbed his temple. "What was that?"

Beth pressed her fingertips to the sore spot on her forehead and laughed under her breath. "That would be Maggie trying to cook. You see, she knows how to use the microwave and take-out menus really well, but the stove can be a bit of a challenge."

"Should we go check an' make sure she hasn' started a fire er somethin'?" Daryl slid his hand up under the back of Beth's shirt, dragging his nails lightly over the skin.

Beth hummed in approval. "Nah, we'd be hearing a string of bad words and smoke would be coming under the door. Don't worry, we have a fire extinguisher for this very reason," Beth grinned and closed her eyes.

"That girl is somethin' else.." Daryl sighed in amusement.

"She's a pretty great girl, though," Beth mumbled and tangled her legs with Daryl's.

"I can tell yer safe here wit' her an' that's enough fer me," Daryl's lips brushed over Beth's forehead.

"Do you worry about me all the time?" Beth nudged Daryl's chin with her nose.

"Purty much," Daryl cleared his throat. "Ya have a knack fer gettin' in trouble that's makin' me develop an anxiety disorder, I think."

Beth parted her lips and bit Daryl's chin lightly. "I know, I'm sorry.. I really am going to try to be more careful," she whispered, and she really did mean it.

"I kinda like ya jus' the way ya are," Daryl mumbled and even in the darkness of the room, Beth could see the flush on his cheeks.

"Oh my God.. If that wasn't so goddamn adorable I'd have to tease you endlessly," Beth grinned wide and pushed Daryl flat on his back while she straddled his hips, kissing him firmly and slowly sitting up straight.

Daryl lifted Beth's shirt and grazed his fingertip down the center of Beth's back, watching her breasts become free. "Ya know.. Merle is sayin' that ya shouldn' come ta my fight," Daryl's lips turned downward and Beth's expression fell.

"But.. Why?" Beth asked slightly petulantly.

"I dunno, maybe he thinks yer gonna hold up a homemade sign that says, 'I heart Daryl'," Daryl cracked up and Beth swatted his shoulder.

"You totally ruined my idea," Beth teased. "Except it was gonna be a homemade t-shirt that says it. With glitter," Beth chuckled, her smile bright.

"Maybe ya could jus' wear it fer me in private," Daryl raised his brows and then shook his head in conflict. "Wait, no, no clothes. That's the rule."

"I'm wearing clothes right now.." Beth trailed off challengingly.

"That's jus' 'cause we're both tired an' we need sleep. If ya were completely naked right now then I'd have no choice but ta fuck ya all night," Daryl sighed loudly.

"True, there's no such thing as self-control or thinking before you act," Beth nodded with fake seriousness.

"Smart-ass," Daryl rolled his eyes.

"Oh, but you like my ass," Beth wiggled on top of Daryl.

"Actually, I love it," Daryl's eyes gleamed.

"Oh, so that's why you love me. For my ass."

"Actually..." Daryl paused and it earned him another swat on the arm.

"Hey, hey, fighter," Daryl laughed roughly and tugged Beth tight to his chest, holding her securely in his arms.

Beth kissed Daryl's bare shoulder and settled against him with a content sigh. "So.. Should I not come to your fight?" Beth asked sadly.

"I want ya there. I don' care what Merle says er does ta me," Daryl whispered.

Beth rubbed her lips together and her stomach went tight when she thought about how she'd promised Merle that she'd back off. But, she would be there, no matter what. She had Daryl's back just like he had hers.

"I'll be there, I promise. I'll just keep it low-key," Beth yawned and nodded into the crook of Daryl's neck. She relaxed at Daryl's short nails scratching down her back and she spoke lazily, "are you nervous?"

Daryl took a deep breath. "Honestly? A little. But only b'cause I ain't ever seen the guy an' I know very little 'bout him. They wanted ta keep the fight shrouded in mystery 'cause I guess that'll bring a bigger crowd. It makes it really hard ta prepare."

"You're gonna do great, I know you will. You have no reason to worry," Beth spoke the words in a sure voice but inside she had no clue if they were true. "I'll be there for you, just in case.."

"It won' come ta that," Daryl shook his head and held Beth tighter. "I'll be able ta handle it."

"Well, still.. I'll be there," Beth murmured, sleep starting to take over.

Daryl was quiet for a moment before he whispered. "I don' care if I win er lose anymore."

"Why not?" Beth furrowed her brows, surprised by Daryl's statement.

"'cause.. Fer the first time in my life, somethin' else is more important," Daryl admitted slowly.

Beth lifted her head at that, looking down on Daryl's tired but handsome face. "And what's that?"

"Ya know it's you," Daryl breathed out softly as he gazed up at Beth.

Beth's lips turned into a slight pout and she pressed them to Daryl's in languid and smooth kisses before they were too exhausted to continue. Sleep found them bundled in each other's arms.

Despite the uncertainty of even the next few days, for that moment, they were happy. That counted for something.


	19. Dixon Vs The Governor

**Merry Christmas everybody! I love you all!**

As she had been told, Beth didn't call or text Daryl for the next couple of days. The day of the fight had come and Daryl had been so busy before it that he didn't have much time to talk anyway. They had figured out a system of communicating through Maggie though, much to her roommate's chagrin. Daryl would text Maggie to let her know all was okay and Beth would relay her own words back through her. If Merle ever checked, he would think Daryl was just talking to some random annoyed person who cussed a lot.

Beth sat nervously in front of her computer, her fingers tapping on the keys without actually pressing down. Merle knowing about her research had incited a million worries in Beth's thoughts. Sure, she knew her secret was safe for now, but that wasn't something that was always guaranteed. With Merle, anything was possible, being that he was an incredibly impulsive and volatile individual.

Beth's stomach clenched painfully and she dropped her head to her forearms. She would have to tell Daryl. It was the only way she could ensure this wouldn't blow up spectacularly in her face. But, not tonight. She would wait until after Daryl's fight to be sure she didn't put his head in the wrong place. Also, Beth wanted to be the one to care for him afterward. No matter if he won, which he would, he would still be injured, and if he was mad at Beth he wouldn't let her near him.

Maggie showed up at her door with a displeased expression and a Cheeto stuck to her face as she held up her phone. "Loverboy wants you to meet him at his place right now."

Beth stood up and stretched his arms over her head, feeling surprised by the news. "Hmm. Alright, thank you. Tell him I'll be there soon, please?" Beth walked toward the bathroom and paused in front of Maggie to pat herarm. "You've got a Cheeto on your face..."

Maggie blinked and felt around on her cheek, finding the Cheeto and blowing on it before popping it into her mouth, biting down on it with a crunch and a smile. "Hey, thanks! I was looking for that."

Beth stared, dumbfounded as Maggie left the room.  
_

"Isn't this a little risky?" Beth was tugged forward into Daryl's apartment by the end of her scarf which she had wrapped around her face in an effort to be low-key.

"Merle left the warehouse wit' some blonde bimbo so he will be occupied fer a while," Daryl gave a tired smile, unwrapping Beth's layers of outerwear with amusement. "Yer fluffed up like a marshmallow."

"It's cold out there," Beth stuck out her lower lip and blushed faintly at the way Daryl was staring at her. "What is it?" Beth rubbed her hands on her cool cheeks, blinking in confusion.

"Nothin', it's just.." Daryl reached up to brush the back of his finger along Beth's jaw. "I ain't used ta seein' ya without yer face all painted up."

"You've seen me like this plenty of times.." Beth murmured.

"Ya, but, usually right 'fore ya sleep so it's dark an'...I dunno, ya don' normally go out an' 'bout without anythin' at all on yer face," Daryl shrugged his shoulders.

"I, uh," Beth licked her lips nervously. "I just didn't want to stand out at your fight or draw attention," she shifted on her feet.

"Hey, ya look good.. Real good," Daryl produced a sweet smile, his arms slowly wrapping around Beth's waist and his nose finding her cheek with a deep inhale. "Ya smell good, too."

Beth slid her arms around Daryl, closing her eyes. She didn't mind going out without makeup, but when someone brought it up, she couldn't help but feel self-conscious. It was sort of her defense and her shield; it hid her vulnerability.

"But ya should know.." Daryl whispered against her earlobe. "Ya look jus' as stunnin' without it an' people will still be lookin' at ya."

Beth shivered and puckered her lips against Daryl's cheek, her heart warming. "You shouldn't be allowed to say things that make me feel like that."

"Like what?" Daryl's lips quirked up and he looked at Beth's face.

"Like my heart will beat out of my chest or make me do something stupid," Beth smiled softly, resting her forehead against his.

"Sorry, I'll try ta be more o' an asshole like I used ta be," Daryl cleared his throat and lifted a challenging brow.

Beth couldn't help but pout as she held Daryl tighter to her. "No, no, I.. Just have to get used to being treated like this."

"I have ta git used ta wantin' ta treat someone like this. It don' exactly earn me 'tough guy' points," Daryl twisted his lips.

"You're all man to me, though," Beth flashed a toothy grin and Daryl chuckled.

"None o' that.. I can' lose my focus," Daryl sighed slowly.

"Then why did you invite me over? You know I rarely do what I'm told," Beth wet her lips and Daryl couldn't resist giving them a little kiss.

"Ya calm me down an' I really need it right now," Daryl slowly led Beth over to the couch where he sat down and pulled Beth down against him.

Beth settled into his side and rested her head on Daryl's strong shoulder. "Mm, you make me calm too," she murmured and watched Daryl traced the tattoo on her forearm with a delicate fingertip.

"What does this mean?" Daryl whispered lowly.

Discomfort replaced the soothing atmosphere and Beth bit her lower lip, debating on whether to change the subject. Then she remembered her conversation with Maggie, and she realized this was a good time to make the first step of communication. "I got it when I was 17.. It means 'freedom' in Dutch. I have Dutch heritage, so.." Beth nodded slowly.

"Does that mean somethin' in particular ta ya?" Daryl pressed his lips to the top of Beth's head and continued to trail his fingers over the small, cursive black ink.

"Um.." Beth took a deep breath. "I got it when I moved out of my parents' house."

"Ya were only 17?" Daryl paused, wrapping his hand around Beth's.

"Yeah, things were.. Complicated," Beth closed her eyes with the word.

"I can understand that, definitely.." Daryl mumbled and Beth looked up at him.

"I know you can.. That's why I'm okay with telling you," Bwth managed a light smile before continuing. "My parents.. They weren't the easiest people to live with, to say the least. I ran away."

"Why?" Daryl creased his brow, looking at Beth intently.

"They weren't the most loving family. When Momma died, my dad started drinking," Beth gulped. No matter how long it had been since it happened, it still hurt when she talked about it.

Daryl was quiet for a moment before he wrapped both of his arms tightly around Beth. "'M sorry."

Beth inhaled sharply at the squeeze before melting into it, her eyes shut tight. "It's okay.. I'm so much better off than I was with them, I am."

"Did ya at least have any other family that ya got ta stay with?" Daryl questioned gently.

"No...not until Maggie found me a few years later." Beth said shakily. "But luckily, I had friends that I could stay with while I finished high school and worked to save up money. As soon as we could afford it, Maggie and I got our own place."

"So she's been with ya through a lot.." Daryl whispered understandingly.

"She has, she's been with me through everything so far," Beth nodded and lifted her head. It felt surprisingly good to get a little bit of the truth out.

"I respect her even more now," Daryl blinked softly, looking over Beth's face. "So ya don' talk ta yer Pa at all anymore?"

"Nope," Beth shook her head quickly. "And I don't want to. They're figments of my past, that's it. They didn't make me who I am today, I did that," Beth said confidently.

"I wish I had yer outlook.. My parents had a lot to do wit' how I am," Daryl admitted slowly and Beth had to keep her eyebrows from raising. She didn't want to scare Daryl off from talking about this.

Beth rubbed her hand over Daryl's thigh and asked quietly, "what do you mean?"

When Daryl's jaw went tight and his eyes drifted toward a random spot on the wall, Beth thought she lost the moment. But then, "My dad is responsible fer the bad parts o' me and my mom is responsible fer the good."

It was the first time that Daryl had mentioned his mother and Beth wanted desperately to hear more, but she wouldn't push Daryl. Not with this. So she stayed quiet and used her hands to hold Daryl's and show him she was there.

"My mom.." Daryl sighed quietly. "God, she was a great lady. She used ta stay up late wit' me an' let me watch scary movies an' eat popcorn. She always told the best stories, an' would come crawl into bed wit' me when it rained 'cause she knew I hated the thunder.." Daryl murmured with a wistful smile and Beth listened, riveted.

"There was jus' one thing that kept her from bein' the most incredible person alive.." Daryl closed his eyes.

Beth let her lips graze over Daryl's cheekbone and smoothed her hand up his chest. "You don't have to talk about it, Daryl."

"Na, it's okay.." Daryl flashed her a tight smile. "I.. I want ta," he breathed out and pursed his lips. "My mom was addicted ta heroine.."

Beth's heart broke as she watched Daryl's face fall, his lips turning downward and his eyes shutting so tight. "That's enough, you don't have to.." Beth closed her arms securely around Daryl and tucked her chin against his shoulder.

Daryl shook his head roughly against him. "I can handle this.. I need ta handle this," he said resolutely and Beth didn't argue. "My dad, he's always been this asshole o' a guy. He used ta beat on my mom, me, an' Merle when he'd git drunk, which was a lot. I'd try ta stop him an' git the shit beaten outta me," Daryl sighed.

Beth rubbed the back of Daryl's neck and waited for him to continue. "My mom used ta tell me ta run, ta leave an' never look back.. But I couldn' leave her there, not alone wit' him," Daryl forced out.

"Of course you couldn't," Beth replied softly, her heart shredding more.

"She had no money er anywhere else ta go, but she did try ta leave wit' me a few times. He always found us though.. Those were some o' the worst fuckin' moments o' my life," Daryl's tone was a mixture of anger and despair and Beth wanted desperately to piece him back together.

"My mom had gotten into heroine as a way ta escape. In our town, it was easy ta come by drugs an' I don' even want ta think 'bout what she had ta do ta afford 'em.." Daryl cringed and his body shuddered. "When I was 13, she.. She did too much," Daryl shook his head and bit his bottom lip hard.

"Oh my God.." Beth murmured and held Daryl tighter. "You mean she..?"

"I found her lying on the kitchen floor.." Daryl's voice was barely there.

Beth was on the verge of tears and she lifted her head to look Daryl in the eyes. "I'm so sorry.. I'm sorry."

"Don' be.." Daryl muttered. "I was crushed, scared an' so alone, but.. I was relieved fer her. She had found her only way ta escape. She was free," Daryl smiled sadly and tears rolled down Beth's cheeks. "I could take care o' myself, ya know? But I couldn' protect her like she needed, even though I tried so fuckin' hard," Daryl's lips pursed as he held back incoming emotion.

"I.. I love you," Beth whispered, feeling entirely inadequate with her words. She had studied people who had been through traumatic experiences, but she had never known one so personally. It made her own struggles seem so easy and blown out of proportion.

"Hey, I love you too.. Please don' feel bad fer me," Daryl shook his head firmly and shifted his position, clearly uncomfortable with pity. Beth knew that feeling all too well.

"Did you ever try to run away after that?" Beth asked quietly,

"All the fuckin' time," Daryl sighed. "But I ain't ever git far 'fore he found me. I'd try ta go stay wit' a buddy an' he'd come an' drag my ass home ta work in the shop. The only reason I stayed wit' him fer so long was 'cause I couldn' afford ya go anywhere else an' he hurt me bad every time I tried ta leave...Merle got away though. Didn' speak ta him fer almost 10 years."

"So.. How did you end up getting involved with Merle and his guys?" Beth felt bad for asking so many questions, but she knew now was the time to do it. Daryl was being open and at any moment he could close up on her again.

Daryl scratched the back of his neck and shrugged a shoulder. "I started sneakin' out an' partyin' tryin' ta find an escape from how miserable I was.." Daryl nodded and popped his lips. "One night, I was playin' poker wit' a group o' guys, right? And one o' 'em thought I cheated him out o' a bunch o' money, so he swings at me. Well, I was used ta being punched, so I knew how ta block him an' all. After I did, I hit him wit' all the anger an' frustration that I was holdin' in me, an' knocked him clear out," Daryl smiled wryly.

"Anyway, I was jus' this skinny kid but I had a powerful punch from the beginnin'. Next thing I know, Merle's callin' me, sayin' he heard 'bout the fight an' wanted me ta join his team." He shook his head, laughing bitterly. "The first thing he said was, 'Darlina...I see daddy finally knocked some sense into ya."

Beth listened carefully, saddened yet captivated by how everything was coming together.

"We started talkin' an' he told me he wanted ta see what else I could do," Daryl nodded and laced his fingers.

"So, I started trainin' with him an' he would tell me all 'bout these fights an' how tons o' people would come an' cheer ya on.. But the most appealin' part was the money. Fuck, I ain't ever heard anyone talk 'bout that much money 'fore, darlin'." Daryl rubbed his lips together and swallowed.

"I realized.. It was my way out. If I could fight fer Merle, I could save up money an' get the hell out o' there. I didn' need an education an' I didn' need a proper job. I could just use what natural an' learned skills I had as well as my motivation ta git the fuck away from it all. So, I did. I spent five years fightin' fer him an' savin'.. Then I came here. I finally got ta leave," Daryl leaned against the couch with a sigh.

"Was it horrible..?" Beth questioned shakily, feeling overwhelmed by everything Daryl had been through.

"I was fuckin' miserable," Daryl scoffed. "Sure, I was gettin' paid, but I was getting the hell beaten out o' me in fights an' I was gettin' beat up by my ol' man, too. I could fight him back but he was still stronger than me fer a long time.."

"You are the strongest person I know, inside and out. I mean that," Beth said sincerely, her eyes watery.

"Like I said.. Who I am is a product o' what I went through wit' my mom and dad," Daryl rubbed his chest with a sigh.

"So.. Merle really was your ticket out of there?" Beth questioned.

"Ya, he was. I did the legwork but he was the reason I had the opportunity ta leave. Fer that, I owe him. Only that. He made my life almost as terrible as Pa did, but at least now I git ta live on my own an' pretty much have my own life apart from fightin'.. As long as I do what Metle wants, he can offer me protection from our dad. If I fuck up, then all my money could be taken away from me an' I'd have ta go back ta live with that fucker."

"But.. If your dad ever tried to find you and beat you up again, you would win that fight, Daryl. I mean, it'd be self-defense so if you accidentally.." Beth mused out loud and then shut her mouth at the thought.

"Ya think I want ta kill him?" Daryl raised his brows. "I thought 'bout it, sure, but killin' him would be lettin' him off easy. He deserves ta live the rest o' his life alone an' miserable. Plus.. I don' think I have it in me ta stoop so low. I don' want ta have that in me," Daryl shivered and closed his eyes tiredly.

"Is it okay if I hug you for a little?" Beth asked sadly and it spurred a smile from Daryl.

"It's more than okay.. Com'ere," Daryl held out his arms and Beth slid into them. "I...I ain't ever talked 'bout this shit ta anyone. Not like this. I jus'.. Feel like I can trust ya. I know I can, so it all jus' comes out without me even thinkin' 'bout it.

Beth felt a huge wave of guilt inside. She wasn't being fully honest with him about everything, and here he was, spilling his guts and being completely and totally sincere. Even if she hadn't planned it, she knew she had to tell Daryl about her thesis project and now. It'd be cruel and wrong not to.

"Daryl...I need to-" Beth started and was cut off when Daryl's phone went off. Daryl quickly pulled it from his pocket and read the message.

"Fuck, I have ta go," he cupped Beth's chin and kissed her lips. "Merle wants me ta meet him an' if I don' leave now then he'll come lookin' fer me," Daryl sighed sadly and looked at Beth with tender eyes. "Thank ya... So fuckin' much fer listening ta me an' sharin' yer own shit wit' me. I know it was hard fer ya"

"Thank you for talking to me about this.. Really," Beth forced a smile and kissed Daryl's lips again. "I'll be there tonight, just.. Maybe you won't see me, okay? But I swear I'll be there."

"I know ya will.." Daryl flashed a wide smile. "God, I feel so much better now that ya know all o'vthat. It's like a huge weight has been lifted," he stood up and went to grab his bag from the table while Beth followed after him timidly.

"Good luck tonight.." Beth murmured and kissed Daryl's cheeks and lips softly.

"Yer all the luck I need," Daryl whispered against Beth's lips and handed her his keys. "Lock up after ya go, okay?"

"Okay, I will," Beth produced another smile and watched Daryl walk away and shut the door. "Fuck, fuck, fuck.." Beth put her hands to her face and shook her head.

Daryl needed to know but now she couldn't call or text him because Merle would be there and that would ruin everything.

"I'll tell him after the fight," Beth spoke out loud with a nod. "I'll help take care of him and I'll tell him everything. It'll be fine," she tried to assure herself.

She just felt so sad and angry about what Daryl had to deal with. Daryl was a fighter in every sense of the word. But, he didn't try to make Beth feel like what she went through was any less hard. He listened and comforted her through the little bit she told and Beth was so grateful for that.

Nobody should have to go through what Daryl went through, yet somehow, even after all of that, Daryl still had hope. When Beth saw Daryl's steel eyes, she could see a light that still burned. All Beth could do was pray that she didn't diminish that by showing Daryl that she wasn't as trustworthy as he thought.  
_

"Wow.." was all Beth could muster as she edged up to the back of the massive crowd that gathered in the middle of an old outdoor arena. It was obvious that it was used for some kind of competitive horseback riding because there were tattered hurdles and barrels here and there. How they found these places was beyond Beth.

She was wearing her sunglasses and a hood to cover her blonde hair. Her face remained makeup-less and she even took out her ear piercings to not be as immediately recognizable if Merle caught sight of her. Beth felt relieved that the crowd was so large because she could blend in better.

"Hey, Beth," Carl's voice came casually from next to her.

Beth did a double-take and froze. "What the.. What are you doing here?"

"Heard there was a big fight and I wanted to check it out. I texted you to see if you wanted to come, bro.. Isn't that why you're here?" Carl raised both of his brows and took a sip from the giant fountain soda he had in his hand.

"Y-yeah, of course that's why I'm here," Beth shrugged and nodded, clearing her throat and having no idea what text Carl was talking about.

"Why are you dressed like the uni-bomber, though?" Carl chuckled and tugged on the string of Beth's hoodie.

"I just didn't want to stand out, that's all," Beth said vaguely and straightened her posture.

"I recognized you from pretty far away, man," Carl laughed lightly.

"Well.." Beth sighed, feeling like a failure with her disguise and completely stressed out. It wasn't safe for Carl to be here if Merle recognized Beth, but what could she do? They would just have to stay as far back as possible from the action.

"I heard that one of the guys is that dude we saw in the alley a while ago," Carl nodded with an excited smile. "The other one is supposed to be fucking hard to beat. That's all they will say! It's all mysterious and shit."

"Who do you even talk to when you find this stuff out, Carl?" Beth cast him a sideways glance.

"You know I meet a lot of people in my hobby," Carl smirked and Beth rolled her eyes.

"That's true, you do know some weirdos," Beth peeked over the crowd nervously, looking in the center for any sight of Daryl.

"You seem pretty keyed up. Wanna hold Larry a bit?" Carl offered lightly.

"Did you really bring your lizard to an underground fight?" Beth widened her eyes, parting her lips.

Carl held his jacket open and Larry lifted his head out from an inside pocket. "Yep, he's digging the vibe of the crowd, I can tell."

Beth honestly had no words in response to that as she stared Larry in the eyes and watched his little tongue flick out lazily. Looking between Carl and Larry, Beth couldn't help but see the similarities in their looks and personalities. They were both pretty small and so incredibly chill. They adapted to whatever environment they were in and Beth kind of envied that.

"Oh, look!" Carl pointed and stood on his tip-toes. "I think they're bringing one guy in but.. Fuck, I can't see. Let's get closer."

"No, no," Beth shook her head quickly. "You can if you want but, I kinda wanna stay back here."

Carl looked at her in amusement, his eyes squinty. "Are you scared or something?"

"Uhh.. Yeah," Beth lied, figuring it'd be easier to make herself look silly than to make up another elaborate reason.

"Oh.. I'm sorry, dude. If it helps, I'm really scared of the ice cream truck," Carl shrugged lightly with a laugh.

"Wait.. Why are you.."

"Best not to ask," Carl looked at her seriously and slurped at his drink. "I'm gonna get a closer look. Keep your phone on you so we can meet back up if we lose each other, yeah?"

"Yeah, I will," Beth nodded in agreement, feeling a little guilty for her plan to get as far away from Carl as possible as soon as he left. They were both safer that way.

Carl waved and promptly bumped into a large bald man and almost fell over. Beth was about to make sure he was okay but then Carl and the man started talking like they were old buddies. That guy could get along with anyone.

The further away Beth got from Carl, the more relieved she felt. That was, until she remembered what she was doing there in the first place and all the nerves and stomach pains came back.

She got to a place where she could see the opening in the middle of the crowd but she was concealed enough to not be automatically seen by any scanning eyes. Sure enough, Daryl was already out. Beth's heart clenched as she saw him warming up and looking so tough. Knowing what Daryl had gone through made Beth yearn for him even more and want to protect him.

Merle stalked into the center with a wide smirk on his lips and excitement in his eyes. It made Beth feel disgusted. Merle held up a megaphone to his lips and began his charismatic introduction.

"We got somethin' real special fer ya folks, t'night," Merle called out and the crowd hushed. "Ta my right is someone we all know an'.. Well, not love, but someone we can count on ta pound shit into the ground!"

The people started cheering and yelling and Beth watched them with interest and let her gaze drop on Daryl, who looked fucking stoic and strong. His jaw was set tight and his eyes were hard. He wore dark jeans and a gray wife beater, his hair hanging loosely to his shoulders. His shoulders were broad and even from Beth's spot she could see the pumping veins down Daryl's lean but muscled arms.

"God.." Beth murmured and had to shake her head to clear it from the inappropriate thoughts that were encroaching. It just wasn't the time or place for that.

Merle motioned Daryl over and Daryl walked slowly and smoothly, a full-on swagger in his step. He was putting on a show for the people and they loved it. He lifted an arm in greeting, letting it drop and crossing his arms firmly over his chest, scanning the crowd with dark eyes.

Beth slipped her sunglasses off briefly, not calling any additional attention to herself but wanting to see if she could gain Daryl's focus. A few seconds later, Daryl's eyes stopped on her face and Beth saw what was almost a faint tug of a smile on the corner of Daryl's lips. Thankfully, Daryl caught it before it spread further. He simply nodded his head in acknowledgement of Beth before he looked quickly away.

Beth blew out a breath and pushed her sunglasses back on, her heart nearly beating into her chest when Merle started speaking again. "We have a very special guest joinin' us to'night. He is undefeated, like Dixon is, but the difference there is.. He has fought almost triple the amount o' times that Dixon has!"

The air felt like it had been knocked out of her and Beth's mouth dropped open. This wasn't a fair fight, this wasn't the way they did it. "No.." Beth muttered and she saw Daryl's eyes anxiously search for her while he kept his body firm and tough.

Beth caught his gaze and shook her head softly. Daryl kept his chin up and lightly shrugged a shoulder in response. There was no backing out now. Daryl had to fight and he had to do his best. If he failed, it'd be Merle's fault just as much as his, even if Merle didn't see it like that.

"What the fuck is Merle thinking.." Beth mumbled to herself and a woman next to her slowly edged away from the crazy girl talking to herself.

"I'd like ta introduce...THE GOVERNOR!" Merle yelled and the crowd had reactions of excitement, surprise and recognition.

Through her panic at the name alone, Beth overheard a conversation between two men nearby.

"Ohh, this guy is good!" the taller one announced.

"Is he the one that broke that guy's jaw in three places?" his friend asked.

"Yeah!" the man replied casually, as if he weren't talking about living, breathing people.

Beth put her hands to her cheeks, staring directly at Daryl who was doing so well with keeping his cool, but Beth could see the slight panic creasing his features. He would never show it, but Beth knew if she were close enough, she'd be able to hear Daryl's heart racing. Shit, she thought over and over in her head.

When The Governor actually walked out, Beth's fear increased by ten. The man was fucking huge with brown hair, an eye patch and leather clothing.

Maybe Beth was imagining it, but the ground seemed to slightly shake with his every large step as he stalked toward Daryl.

"God, look how tiny Dixon looks next to him!" a woman laughed and Beth shot her a dirty look.

Nobody was gonna talk shit about her.. Whatever Daryl was. "He can handle himself, you'll see," Beth replied firmly and the woman cowered a bit at her tone. "Sorry," Beth said tightly, not really meaning it but not liking to be rude.

She rubbed her hands together and steeled herself for what was next. The Governor held out his hand for Daryl to shake and Daryl gave him a 'what the fuck?' look before slowly putting his hand into it. The muscles in Daryl's neck tensed and Beth could tell that The Governor was squeezing hard.

Daryl quickly pulled his hand back, shaking it lightly and spitting harshly on the ground near his opponent's feet. A large grin spread over his opponents face and the crowd laughed. Beth did her best to give each laugher a dirty look but there just wasn't time for that.

"Let's see what these two have got, yeah?" Merle's voice crackled through the amplifier.

The people shouted their agreement and Merle yelled, "GO!"

Beth brought her hands to her mouth nervously, bouncing on the balls of her feet as Daryl and The Governor started circling each other in a predatory way. Hell, Daryl really did look super small next to this beast of a man. But hey, Daryl had fought big people before. Beth thought back to Flesheater who she saw Daryl take down that night that seemed so long ago. Daryl could do this.

The Governor swung a heavy arm and Daryl quickly ducked under it and slipped behind the man's body, using the flat of his foot to shove him on the back, making his large form stumble forward. For any regular sized man, that would have knocked them on their face.

Daryl didn't show any sign of being worried by that, instead he swiftly moved back around the man, driving several punches to his abdomen while The Governor tried to swing at him, missing every time because Daryl was so quick.

"Thank God.." Beth mumbled. Apparently Daryl's opponents trick wasn't that he was a good fighter, it was that he was sturdy and could hardly be knocked down. "Save your strength, Daryl," Beth urged, though she knew her advice would go unnoticed.

The mutterings and cheering of the crowd had once again become white noise, and Beth was thankful that she could tune them out and focus purely on Daryl. Even though it made her cringe to watch, she couldn't take her eyes off of him with his perfect form and execution. It was pretty fucking spectacular.

The Governor growled loudly when Daryl snuck through his grasp once again. It was great to see that Daryl could escape him, but Beth knew that sooner or later something was going to have to happen or else the fight would go on forever.

Beth glanced down only for a moment when her phone buzzed; a text from Carl asking where she was. She sighed and was going to type a quick reply when she heard a sickening smack and the entire crowd go, "ooooohhhhh."

She snapped her head up and couldn't see Daryl. "Fuck, fuck," Beth pushed past a few people, trying to stand taller to look at the ground. Daryl was wiped out on his back but still moving. He held his hand to his ribs and his face was tight with pain.

"Daryl.." Beth murmured helplessly and thought she honestly might start crying when Daryl struggled to get to his feet, standing up and feigning that he was completely fine. He still rubbed gingerly at a place on his side and Beth knew there had to be broken ribs.

The Governor looked entirely too pleased with himself and Beth could see that frustrated Daryl as much as it did her when Daryl ran full-force toward his opponent and used the shoulder and elbow of his good side to ram into his chest. The power and determination behind it actually caused him to stumble and fall onto his back with a big thud.

Daryl hopped up onto his broad chest and did one of the coolest things Beth had seen. He jumped and did a full 360 turn in the air over the one eyed man, ending the spin by landing on his knees directly on top of the fallen man, his knee bone jabbing straight into the sternum. The crowd went wild for it.

The Governor started flailing his arms in pain and knocked Daryl hard in the side of the head, making him fall over to the side. But Daryl wasn't giving up. He kicked his legs and tried to get a piece of his opponent even as he held his head in his hand on the ground.

Beth's heart was breaking and her nerves were completely shot. Daryl was hurting and Beth couldn't do shit about it. This had to be the worst position she'd ever found herself in; not being able to help the one she loved.

Merle yelled at the top of his lungs for Daryl to get up while The Governor awkwardly got to his feet, his thick limbs staggering a bit. Daryl attempted to push himself up with his hands and fell forward on the ground, which gave The Governor the opportunity to kick him in the side. Daryl yelled out in pain.

"He's gonna kill him!" Beth tried to scream above the crowd but her voice was washed away.

Trying to be as strong as ever, Daryl got up on his knees and attempted to get up that way. The Governor leaned down and wrapped his huge arm around Daryl's neck, securing his head in the crook of his elbow and pulling him to his feet, squeezing firmly.

Daryl kicked his legs and scratched at The Governors arms, struggling as much as he could. Beth kept waiting for Merle to call the fight because Daryl had obviously lost, but Merle kept yelling for Daryl to fight back, over and over. All the while Daryl was losing consciousness.

Beth couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't just stand by and watch this. She ducked and weaved her way through the crowd until she was at the front lines.

"MERLE, STOP THIS!" Beth yelled out desperately. Merle's eyes snapped to her and a look of shock and then pure hatred covered his face.

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" Merle shouted. "HE CAN COME BACK FROM THIS!"

"HE'S FUCKING KILLING HIM! LOOK AT HIM!" Beth pleaded desperately, tears rolling down her cheeks and the people around her staring at her in alarm.

Merle gritted his teeth and cracked his knuckles before turning his attention away from Beth, cursing loudly and holding up the megaphone to speak. "It's done. Drop him!"

The Governor did immediately as asked and Daryl crumbled to the ground. Beth, uncaring if Merle saw and knowing he had fucked their deal anyway, ran over to Daryl and got down on her knees next to him.

Merle stepped up to Beth and grabbed her by her shirt, pulling her back to her feet. "Ya git the fuck out o' here, now. Ya already made me look like a fool an' made yerself look like some obsessed idiot!"

"I'm not leaving him, he needs help," Beth replied firmly, shoving hard at Merle's chest, "and I know you're not going to give it to him. Asshole. What were you thinking putting him against that guy? You knew he would lose!"

The crowd had started to gather closer in curiosity and when Merle noticed he screamed out, "unless ya wanna end up like Dixon, ya need ta leave. NOW!"

People scattered faster than you could imagine, but one person hung behind.

"Beth?" came Carl's troubled and confused voice.

"Oh, no," Beth mumbled and turned toward him. "Carl you need to go now, please."

"I'm not leaving you here, man. What the hell is going on?" Carl shook his head.

"I.. I can't explain it, please you have to go, now. I'll talk to you about it later," Beth urged and groaned when Merle spoke up.

"Well, well, well. Who is this? I ain't ever met one of Priss' friends," Merle had an evil look in his eye and Beth could see what was coming.

"Carl, if you care about you, if you care about me, you'll go. Now," Beth pleaded desperately, stealing glances to Daryl on the ground and sniffing hard. "I beg you.. Run and don't look back."

"Ya shut the fuck up!" Merle yelled out roughly. "Ya don' call the shots. If I want yer friend ta stay, he stays."

Beth gave Carl one last, desperate and serious glance. "I'm going to go get help," Carl said quickly and put his hand protectively to his pocket where Larry was hidden as he took off running.

"Hey, git the fuck back here!" Merle was so angry that his voice was crazy.

"Uh.. Can I go now?" The Governor drawled.

"Yes, leave, git the hell outta here," Merle huffed. "Ya git paid tomorrow. Obviously I won'!"

The Governor blinked and slowly backed off, clearly feeling uncomfortable. Beth thought she'd want to beat the shit out of him, but it wasn't The Governors fault that this happened. It was Merle's.

Beth went back over to Daryl and carefully put her fingers to his neck, terrified to not feel that warm and pulsing beat. She sighed out in relief when she felt it; faint but there. "I have to get him to the hospital."

"Ya ain't goin' anywhere! Ya cost me a lot o' money an' yer goin' ta earn it back fer me," Merle paced back and forth angrily.

"No, you did that. You put him against someone he could never beat, you fucking son of a bitch! Seriously, what the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinkin' that I could have gotten twenty grand if Dixon won!" Merle tugged at his shirt in frustration.

"Oh, so you were just seeing dollar signs, as always! You didn't even stop to think that it was impossible for him to actually win. No wonder you kept his opponent a secret! If Daryl knew he would have told it to you straight and said he couldn't beat him, fuck. Money really is all you care about. Pathetic."

Tears streamed down Beth's face as she struggled with wanting to pull Daryl into her arms and knowing she shouldn't touch him in case he had a concussion. She rested her hand on Daryl's chest and traced her other one delicately over Daryl's bruised jaw.

"Ya...Ya weren't even supposed ta be here," Merle's voice started to convey panic. "What is this?" he looked between Beth and Daryl and at the gentle attention Beth was giving him, shock on his face.

"It's something you will never understand or experience because you are a heartless piece of shit," Beth's face screwed up and she pulled out her phone to dial 911. Merle and herself be damned, he was going to get Daryl help.

"No.. No, ya can' call the feds. Are ya completely stupid? I'll get turned in an' so will you an' Dixon!" Merle shook his head swiftly.

"The alternative is that we let Daryl die," Beth looked at him incredulously. "For me there are no options to consider!" Beth scoffed and quickly dialed when Merle's foot hit her hand, knocking her phone through the air where it hit an old piece of wood and broke apart.

"You.. You.." Beth fumed, her nostrils flared as she looked up at Merle. "I'm going to kill you. I'm going to fucking.." She rose to her feet and advanced toward Merle who had his fist and knife up. Sirens in the distance caused them to pause and glance over toward the source of the noise.

A slow smile of relief spread on Beth's lips and he murmured, "Carl.."

"Shit.. This ain't over. Yer fuckin' done, kid. Do ya know? No more mercy," Merle spat sternly before jogging in the opposite direction.

"Fucking coward!" Beth yelled after him and got back down by Daryl, a wave of fresh tears streaming down her face while she pressed her lips gently to Daryl's. "It's okay.. It's okay.. Help is coming," she muttered helplessly. "Stay with me, stay."

Daryl's eyes slowly opened and Beth's breath caught in her throat when Daryl spoke. "Ya.. Yer here.

"Of course I am," Beth nodded quickly, wiping her cheek on her shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere.."

An ambulance pulled up and several medics hopped out, rushing a stretcher over to Daryl who started to look panicked. "Beth.. What did ya do.."

"Shhh, don't worry about that. You need help, Daryl. I'm right here by you, I swear," she moved away so the workers could carefully put Daryl on the stretcher while he gave them the information.

"What happened to him?" one asked.

"He got beaten up badly.." Beth murmured the truth.

"Do you know by who?" he wrote notes on a clipboard without looking up.

Beth briefly considered telling them that it was Merle. It would be so easy to turn him in. She knew where he lived and exactly what he looked like. But then Daryl's words came into her head about Merle having "friends" all throughout the city and Beth realized that it would make it worse. Merle would fucking get his, just not quite yet.

"I have no idea. I found him like this," Beth sighed out.

"But you weren't the one to call 911, right?" the worker said, confused.

"I called," Carl stepped up, a fearful look on his face. "Beth and I heard him yelling for help and we found him like this.. I left to go see if I could find help and I called 911 on the way," Carl nodded and the worker wrote it down.

Beth was so thankful for Carl's lie, though a he didn't know why Carl didn't just tell the truth. She put her arm around her friend and whispered 'thank you' in his ear.

"You'll explain later," Carl murmured back. "You'd better go with them. They are leaving and at least I know you'll be safe at a hospital and while that guy is knocked out.." Carl sighed, not understanding the situation but not questioning it.

"Yes.. Thank you, thank you. Will you please let Maggie stay with you tonight? I don't think she should be alone in the apartment," she squeezed Carl's arm gratefully when Carl agreed and hopped into the back of the ambulance, sitting on the bench next to where they had Daryl. Beth sat and worried while the medics checked him over.

"Will he be okay?" Beth asked in an urgent voice.

"He's got broken ribs and possibly a fractured jaw, a bruised esophagus, a concussion, a split lip and a broken wrist along with shattered knuckles," the medic replied in a business tone.

"But.. Will he be okay?" Beth pressed again, trying not to add up the injuries.

"I'll be okay," Daryl's voice croaked and Beth snapped her eyes to him.

"Oh my God," Beth's lower lip quivered and she reached to put her hand on a part of Daryl's arm that wasn't hurt.

Daryl winced when one of the men touched his ankle. "Looks like we've got a sprain here, maybe a fracture."

"Shit.." Beth whispered brokenly, getting on her knees next to Daryl's head to press her lips to his temple.

"Young girl, I'm going to have to ask you to back up," the medic's firm voice started.

"Please, let her stay.." Daryl voice was pathetic enough that the medic allowed it. "Ya..Ya saved me," he murmured scratchily to Beth.

"No, I didn't. Look at you," Bet choked up. "I should have stepped in sooner."

"Y-ya were tryin' ta follow the rules.. Fer once," Daryl forced a faint smile that was replaced by a grimace.

"Don't try to talk.." Beth whispered and pressed the tiniest of kisses to Daryl's swollen and abused lip.

"Thank ya..." Daryl mumbled and Beth looked at him in question. "Fer steppin' in when nobody else would.." his eyes closed and Beth started to panic.

"Hey, why did he close his eyes?" She asked quickly.

"Relax, we just gave him some painkillers through an IV to give him some relief," the medic patted Beth on her shoulder and gave her a warm smile. "Don't worry, we're going to take good care of him. I promise."

Beth nodded tightly. "Thank you."

She stayed by Daryl's side through the rest of the ride and when they took him into the hospital and a flurry of bandages and medicines were applied. She then remained by his side for countless hours of the night, only breaking for the bathroom and to call her worried sister to tell her she was okay. Beth had never been so panicked, nervous and concerned in her entire life. She felt like if anyone touched her she would break into a million frail pieces.

"Are you here with this gentleman?" an older doctor interrupted an impromptu sleep that Beth hadn't realized she'd fallen into

"Yes, I am," Beth replied in an exhausted tone. "Is something wrong? Besides the obvious.." She quickly glanced at Daryl.

"Well, he doesn't have a concussion, but everything else the medics wrote down initially is in fact true," the doctor sighed. "I have to ask.. How did this happen to him?"

Beth blinked and licked her dry lips. "I don't know.."

"But you obviously know this man. You said that you and a friend found him alone and hurt, but you seem to be quite close to him," the doctor surmised.

"Yes, I am, I.. I did find him, I didn't know what kind of trouble he'd gotten into," Beth shrugged her shoulder weakly.

"Well, don't worry. We will ask him questions when he wakes up and we will see what he remembers. Now, we can keep him one more night or you can take him home. What would you like to do?" the doctor looked at her from over his half-moon glasses.

Beth thought about that. This was going to be expensive to begin with and another night would only add to that. However, Daryl's place didn't seem safe and neither did hers, and Daryl deserved a safe place to recover, for once. Beth would figure out a way to pay, even if she had to take out another student loan.

"One more night here, please. He needs it, I think," Beth nodded, slouching down in the chair and rubbing her eyes tiredly.

When the doctor left, Beth stood and walked over to Daryl, looking down at his bruised and swollen face that had only gotten worse overnight. She leaned down to brush soft and delicate kisses over his forehead, smiling when Daryl sighed quietly in his sleep.

Serious plans needed to be made and explanations were owed to her friends, but for the night they were safe. It was a small but welcome relief in this beyond fucked up situation.


	20. Betrayal

**I love you all! Hope everyone had a safe and happy Christmas!**

"I can cover the cost, Beth," Daryl insisted with a gravelly voice while they prepared to leave the hospital. Daryl was definitely worse for wear but he was acting more like himself. Meaning, he wouldn't stand for Beth taking care of him completely.

"If it were up to you, you wouldn't have even come here.. I made that decision so I should at least help pay the bill," Beth reasoned, rubbing the back of her neck and looking at Daryl where he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Ya made the right choice, Beth.. I don' know how many times I have ta tell ya," Daryl sighed and held out his hand that was partially wrapped but without the cast of the other.

Beth bit her lip and went to sit next to Daryl, placing her hand delicately in Daryl's. "I'm just.. Worried about what we're going to do about all of this," Beth admitted in a low voice.

Daryl wet his dry lips and stared down at this lap for a moment before saying, "we ain't got no choice but ta take one thing at a time. First, I pay the bill an' second, ya help me get home. If that's okay.." Daryl mumbled with a sheepish smile.

"Of course it is," Beth smiled back warmly. "Whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me as a nurse."

"Will ya be wearin' a sexy outfit, then?" Daryl barely lifted his brow and a smirk covered his lips.

"You are insufferable, even when you're in a pathetic injured state," Beth rolled her eyes fondly. "But I will think about it."

"That's all I'm askin'," Daryl grinned as wide as his swollen lip and jaw would allow.  
_

"It doesn't seem like this is a safe place for you, at all," Beth worried as she shut the drapes on Daryl's large windows.

She had gotten Daryl into bed and set up with the essentials; food, water and painkillers were sitting atop the nightstand readily. Daryl watched her move about, double-checking the locks on the doors and windows and covering up anything that someone could look in.

Daryl lightly adjusted his propped up foot on a pillow and shook his head. "Girl, ya know he's goin' ta come fer me sooner er later.. There ain't no use tryin' hide from him."

Beth paused and looked at Daryl in surprise. "You're not even going to try to avoid him for as long as possible?

"What am I supposed ta do? I can barely walk, Beth," Daryl spoke bitterly and hissed in pain when he moved his torso in an effort to get more comfortable.

"I don't know.." Beth walked over and sat down on the end of Daryl's bed dejectedly, pursing her lips in thought. "We could leave town and go to a hotel or something until we figure something else out."

"An' what? Ya jus' quit school after all yer hard work? No, Darlin', yer already missing school today an' ya don' need ta miss anymore fer me," Daryl said resolutely.

"It wouldn't be for me.. It'd be for us," Beth said quietly, a shy blush on her cheeks.

Daryl looked at her face in quiet contemplation. "Com'ere.." Daryl motioned gently with a finger and Beth crawled up the bed obediently, very carefully settling against Daryl's side.

"You don' ever have ta give anythin' up fer me," Daryl spoke clearly, keeping his eyes right on Beth's. "Do ya know how much o' my life I've had ta give up fer other people?"

Beth nodded gently in understanding, a light frown on her lips. "Too much of it.."

"That's right. I don' ever want ta be the reason why ya don' do somethin' that's important ta ya," Daryl closed his eyes and let his forehead press to Beth's. He inhaled the scent of vanilla.

"Then what are we going to do?" Beth whispered helplessly, breathing warmly over Daryl's lips.

"We keep playin' his game until we figure a solid way out," Daryl replied slowly and Beth backed up.

"You mean.. You're going to keep fighting for him? Daryl, he almost got you killed.." Beth creased her brows.

"A mistake he won' be makin' again. Ya, I was shit in that fight but it's 'cause he put me 'gainst someone I never should have been 'gainst. He almost lost me an' that would cost him even more than the payday from jus' one big fight," Daryl explained.

"But.. God, Daryl," Beth groaned and put her hand over her eyes. "There's no way that Merle is gonna let me stick around after what I pulled. He won't want me but I don't think he'll let me go either.."

Daryl breathed in shortly, his gaze drifting away. "I hadn' thought 'bout that.."

"It's not like we can pretend like there's nothing between us anymore either. He saw the way I was with you," Beth murmured shakily.

"I don' plan on pretendin'. He'll jus'.. Have ta deal with it the way it is," Daryl stated firmly.

"Daryl.. If.. If something happens to me then-" Beth began.

"Nothin' is goin' ta happen ta ya, okay? I may be laid out but if he tries ta put a finger on ya, I will kill him," Daryl growled and it made Beth shiver.

"He won't touch you either," Beth whispered against Daryl's cheek while she kissed it.

"We got each other's backs, 'member?" Daryl smiled kindly and held his breath when Beth walked her fingers gingerly down Daryl's bare chest, her gaze dropping to his wrapped ribs.

"You hurt your ribs in that first fight I saw you in, too," Beth recalled quietly.

"It's what most fighters go fer first.. If ya break the ribs then ya destroy a person's core. Ya can' twist an' duck an' block as effectively," Daryl mumbled in a low, smooth voice, watching Beth's curious fingertips trace along his stomach.

"You've been hurt too much," Beth whispered sadly and lifted her gaze to Daryl's face while she lightly tugged at the drawstrings of Daryl's sweatpants.

His breath caught and he shook his head gently. "I'll be alright.. I always am."

Beth licked her lips and let her thumb slide under the waistband on Daryl's pants, brushing it lightly along the firm skin of Daryl's hip. "Do you know what?"

"W-what?" Daryl replied shakily, his eyes not leaving the location of Beth's hand.

"Both of your hands are kind of messed up right now.. Which means you have lost the ability to do certain things," Beth bit her lip. "You know, like cooking," Beth slid more fingers under the waistband, "and writing, and.."

"What else? Tell me.." Daryl said huskily, his eyes darkening slightly.

Beth flushed faintly as she spoke, "I was just thinking about how your cock will miss your hand's attention."

A soft smirk hit Daryl's lips and he blinked slowly. "Is that one o' yer duties as my nurse? Ta make up fer that?"

"Oh, it's one of my top priorities as your personal nurse," Beth nodded with a little smile, dragging her teeth over her lower lip while she carefully tugged Daryl's pants and boxers down just enough to let his dick free, swallowing at the sight of his semi-hard length.

"Looks like it's tryin' ta git higher on yer priority list right now," Daryl chuckled, unashamed of how his cock was getting harder in front of Beth's eyes.

Beth shook her head with a smile and carefully straddled Daryl's legs, making sure to not touch his hurt ankle or put too much pressure on him. "Well, as your nurse, I take my job very seriously," Beth raised her brow and took Daryl's cock in her hand. "Good thing he didn't hit you here, eh?"

"God, ya don' know how grateful I am that he stayed away from my dick," Daryl sighed out shakily, lightly chewing on his lips while a low hum came from his throat.

Beth slowly stroked Daryl's cock to its full potential, watching the way his face twisted in pleasure when she would change the pressure or speed and listening to the rough moans Daryl produced.

"I think.. I'm not doing my job right," Beth sighed dramatically and took her hand away, causing Daryl to almost whine.

"Yer doin' it perfectly, come on," Daryl pleaded helplessly, not even able to lift his hips as it would hurt his ribs.

"I could do it better," Beth let a slow smile spread while she leaned down to hover her lips over Daryl's length.

When Daryl realized what she was doing he moaned in encouragement. "Yes, yer right. Ya could do it much better.."

Beth bit back a laugh and slipped her tongue out to lick Daryl's cock slowly from the base to tip, her little tongue pressing in with a pleasurable pressure. Daryl's whole body shuddered and he grimaced in pleasure and slight pain.

"Relax for me.." Beth whispered and blew on the head of his dick, holding it at the base and wrapping her full lips around the tip, giving it slow and purposeful sucks.

The tips of Daryl's fingers curled and he let out a deep moan when Beth slid her lips further down, hollowing her cheeks to create a firmer suction and swirling her tongue around Daryl's length tortuously.

"Fuck, Beth," Daryl whispered, his eyes shutting firmly and his breathing becoming shallow.

Beth traced her fingers over Daryl's hip and languidly moved her lips down and up for several moments, paying special attention to the head of Daryl's dick with her tongue.

Daryl's hips lifted up instinctively and he groaned in pain. "Ah, shit.."

Beth immediately pulled her lips off and looked at Daryl with worry. "You can't move like that.."

Daryl took a steadying breath and licked his lips. "It's hard not ta when it feels so fuckin' good.."

"Should I stop then?" Beth frowned, glancing down at Daryl's throbbing erection.

"Hell no!" Daryl almost shouted and Beth chuckled.

"Alright, alright, just.. Be good and stay still," Beth admonished before resuming her work, using a hand to stroke along Daryl's length, her mouth following in her hand's path.

Daryl gritted his teeth and kept his hips still, his arm moving over his eyes at one point as a low and guttural moan slipped from his lips. "Fuck.. I'm gonna come," he breathed out.

Relaxing her jaw more, Beth took Daryl even further into her mouth and traced the tip of her tongue along the underside, her free hand cupping Daryl's balls as she moaned around him. With a low cry, Daryl was coming in short spurts into Beth's mouth. Beth kept her eyes on Daryl's face and noticed pleasure but also agony there; the orgasm was making Daryl tense his sore abdominal.

Beth smoothed her hand soothingly over Daryl's stomach and slowly slid her lips off, looking at Daryl while she swallowed.

"Oh God.." Daryl murmured, his lips parted. "It might be the hottest thing I've ever seen.. Ya swallowin' everythin' I gave ya."

Beth licked her lips and bit down on the bottom one, Daryl's words almost making her stomach swirl. "Well.. Are you okay?"

"I'm more than okay," Daryl said quietly, a soft smile on his lips. "That was worth any pain I felt, trust me," he laughed lightly.

"It seemed like it felt good," Beth smirked in amusement and carefully tucked Daryl back into his pants, leaning up to kiss his lips.

Daryl pressed his lips to Beth's as much as he could, wincing at the stinging of his lip. "Fuck it, I can' even kiss ya properly."

"You'll be able to soon," Beth brushed a finger over Daryl's cheek and reached for his bottle of pain pills. "You need to take one."

"No, it means I'll pass out fer hours," Daryl shook his head lightly. "I don' need them."

"Yes, you do," Beth insisted firmly. "I know you're used to not taking anything for your pain when you're a little injured, but this is more serious than that. Don't be a masochist," Beth raised her brow.

Daryl blinked and then rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Alright, alright. But only 'cause I know ya will bitch at me if I don' take it."

"Don't make me sound so horrible just for wanting you to not be in pain," Beth pursed her lips and handed Daryl the pill, helping him reach his water and watching him swallow it painfully. Beth's heart ached at the sight and she wanted so badly to take a portion of Daryl's suffering, if not all of it.

Daryl tilted his head back against the pillow and reached for Beth's hand, resting his inside of it. "Thank ya fer takin' care o' my pathetic ass, really."

"Nowhere I'd rather be," Beth smiled crookedly and moved to lay on the other side of the bed, facing Daryl. "I would just rather you were all better.."

"I heal fast, don'w orry," Daryl turned his head and looked over Beth's face. "Ya need ta talk ta yer friends an' let 'em know what's goin' on.. I'm sure they're really worried."

"Yeah," Beth sighed deeply. "I'm going to go over to Carl's while you're sleeping and talk to him and Maggie. But then I'll be right back, okay?"

"Don' worry," Daryl yawned and licked at his lip. "I'll be dead ta the world anyway an' they need ta know what's goin' on. It's better not ta keep things from the ones who are there fer ya," Daryl closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Beth felt a painful twinge of a reminder in her stomach; she still needed to tell Daryl about her thesis. "Hey, Daryl..?" Beth murmured. She had been so fixated on taking care of Daryl and trying to make him feel better that the elephant in the room of what she was hiding had literally become hidden to her.

"Hm?" the soft noise was Daryl's reply.

"I.. I need to talk to you about something.." Beth fretted, chewing on her lower lip.

"Mhmm," Daryl mumbled back.

Beth's gaze flashed to Daryl's face and his chest rising in steady breaths. "Are you asleep?" Beth whispered and very gently poked Daryl's arm.

He didn't even move in response, just continued to breathe peacefully as he drifted into sleep. He looked relaxed and without pain for the first time that day and there was no way Beth was going to wake him up to worry him with her bullshit. Beth would go and talk to her friends and then come back with a clear head, explain it all to Daryl about everything after his nap.

Beth nodded to herself, the feeling of panic still present inside of her but acknowledging that this was her only option.  
_

"You look like shit," Maggie observed bluntly.

Beth scoffed and rubbed over the skin along her jaw. "I feel worse than I look, I assure you," Beth sipped at her tea and looked over her shoulder far too often. She had brought them to an obscure coffee shop so that she wouldn't risk Merle somehow showing up at Carls place, because it really did seem like that guy was everywhere at once.

"Relax a bit, man. Nobody followed us here," Carl sighed. He was sober and Beth couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him like that.

"I know, I just.. I can't stay long. Daryl is alone at his place and sleeping, so," Beth swallowed. "I just wanted to explain everything I can."

"Well, Maggie filled me in on as much as he knew," Carl shrugged, his lips pursed.

"Except what the fuck ever happened a few days ago.. Glad I wasn't there for that, to be honest," Maggie admitted and took a big bite of a blueberry muffin, roughly brushing away the stray crumbs on her shirt.

"I'm sorry you had to see it," Beth looked at Carl apologetically, setting her cup down. "I didn't expect it to get so bad."

"I don't get why that dude was so angry.. Seriously, what the hell is his problem? He looked like his head might blow off from all the rage," Carl leaned back in his chair with a huff.

"Merle has.." Beth glanced around at the mention of the name, just in case. "He has issues and he's selfish and.." Beth's lip curled up in a snarl. "I don't care what he can do to me anymore, I have to get him the hell out of my life by getting away from here."

"So, you got mixed up in this fighting shit because of Merle and now you wanna just leave and change your life again because of him?" Maggie shook her head. "And what about school, huh? What about your friends.."

Beth felt pained by guilt and the inability to come up with a plan that wouldn't hurt anybody. "I haven't worked it all out yet, but it's not safe here for me anymore. I know that much."

Beth glanced at her watch. "I really need to get back.. But, Mags, I was thinking that we should move apartments for now.. Since Merle knows where I live and I really don't want to put you in danger."

"You can fucking uproot your life because of him but I'm not going to," Maggie replied firmly. "I'm not afraid of him."

"Yeah, man, that seems a little excessive. Merle is intense but he doesn't know what Maggie is capable of. I mean, have you ever been around the girl when she's really hungry? Once I thought she was gonna kill me because I ate the last of the Lucky Charms," Carl widened his eyes and Maggie nodded in agreement while she chewed her last bite of muffin.

Beth sighed wistfully. "I guess we'll figure it all out.. For now, I've gotta get back and tell Daryl the truth about my schoolwork. Maybe he won't even want anything to do with me after that.."

"Don't say that, I can tell the dude cares about you," Maggie sighed. "Good luck and for God's sake, be careful. You get in trouble way too often," Maggie stood up and gave her roommate's shoulder a brief squeeze. "I'll stay with Carl for the next couple of days if that makes you feel any better. If you need me, that's where I'll be."

"Yeah, dude, she's bunking with Larry," Carl cracked a smile. "Little guy loves having a roommate."

Beth couldn't help but smile at the thought of Maggie and Larry shacking up, even if the lizard gave her the heebies. "Thanks for playing on the safe side, guys. It's for the best right now," Beth nodded slowly and tapped her index finger against her teacup.

"Oh, almost forgot," Carl started reaching into the pocket where he usually kept Larry and Beth wrinkled her nose, not really wanting to have lizard eye contact right then. But Carl pulled out a phone instead. "I saw what happened to yours, so here. I had an extra one and I got it set up for you," Carl slipped it into Beth's hand.

Beth bit her lip, feeling overwhelmed with gratitude as she took the phone. "Thank you so much.." Beth looked up at her friends and stood to abruptly wrap her arms around them. "You are the best friends I could ask for.."

Maggie patted Beth on the back. "Yeah, yeah, we love you too."

Carl chuckled. "We'll see you later, yeah? I put our numbers in the phone for you so we're easy to reach."

"Sounds good.. I'll see you later, mhm." Beth watched her friends leave and the feeling of doom returned as soon as they shut the door of the tiny coffee shop; their presence had provided comfort that was immediately absent with their departure. "Fuck it," Beth breathed deeply, covering her face with her hands.  
_

"Look who finally decided to join us.." Merle's grim voice greeted Beth as she walked into the apartment with a cup of to-go tea for Daryl, which she nearly dropped in surprise.

Beth' lips set in a tight line and her eyes glared. "What the fuck are you doing here?" She feigned courage but she was actually terrified.

"We have things ta discuss, so come here," Merle pointed to the couch where Daryl was sitting and leaning against the armrest for support, a sleepy look on his face.

"Why did you make him get out of bed?" Beth hurried over and sat beside him, putting her hand on his cheek.

"'m okay," Daryl cleared his throat, moving his head away from Beth's touch and glancing at Merle. Apparently now that he wasn't knocked out cold or alone with Beth, he was wary of being close around Merle and looking weak.

Beth frowned and set Daryl's tea on the table, looking at Merle with a highly raised eyebrow. "What do you want?"

Merle laughed evilly. "Oh, so much, ya don' even know.. But first, I believe ya have somethin' ta tell Dixon, no?"

Beth blinked quickly and glanced at Daryl who had a confused expression on his face. "What's he talkin' 'bout?" Daryl questioned.

"I was gonna tell him alone, if you don't mind.." Beth asserted toward Merle and laced her fingers, looking down.

"Let me put it this way, if ya don' tell him in the next five seconds then I will tell him fer ya. I ain't a fancy educated person like ya so I'm sure my words won' be so nice," Merle sat down in an adjacent chair with a pleased smirk on his lips.

"Fuck you," Beth fumed under her breath and then turned to Daryl, rubbing her lips together and sighing before letting their eyes meet. Her heart nearly broke at the look of fear that was leaking through Daryl's carefully composed expression.

"I don't even know where to start.." Beth straightened up her shoulders while shifting on the couch. "You know I'm in graduate school, and I have to do a thesis project, right?"

Daryl simply nodded, his brow creasing and the bruising and swelling of his features making it even more difficult for Beth to just fess up. "It's.. It's really time consuming and I-"

"Oh, fuckin' spit it out!" Merle growled and Beth jumped, shooting the man a glare.

"I-I'm doing my thesis project on all of this.." Beth murmured, her eyes closing.

"What do ya mean?" Daryl whispered, unsure.

"God, I.." Beth slowly opened her eyes. "I mean I'm writing a paper about the fighting and about my experience being around.. All of you guys."

Daryl stayed silent for a moment and Beth glanced between him and Merle who looked beyond pleased. "But Daryl, I won't ever mention you specifically, and-"

Daryl held up his wrapped hand. "This whole time.. Ya were jus' gettin' close ta me so ya could write some interestin' paper 'bout how ya taught a cold-hearted streetfighter how ta love er somethin'?"

"What..? No! It isn't like that at all!" Beth insisted quickly, shaking her head.

"So, yer saying that ya haven't been observing my behavior an' making note o' it fer yer little project?" Daryl raised his eyebrows.

"That.." Beth paused. "That's not exactly-"

"She's been playin' us," Merle spoke up. "Shee's been writin' a paper the whole time an' usin' us ta git a good grade."

"Hey, you know it's not like that, asshole! I explained to you what the project is about and how I'm not using personal information about any of you," Beth raised her voice.

"Wait, wait," Daryl spoke harshly. "Ya told Merle 'bout this already, but not me?"

Beth gulped. "He.. He only found out because my professor stopped by while I was talking to Merle, and he talked about the project and-"

"An' why didn' ya tell me right after that happened? Hell, why didn' ya tell me from the start? Instead ya let me fuckin' fall fer ya an' ya were jus' trickin' me the whole time!" Daryl breathed out shakily, his fists flexing and making him wince from the pain.

"Please," Beth said desperately. "Just let me show you my research and what I'm doing, it's nothing like what you think! I wasn't tricking you!"

"It's everythin' that ya think," Merle said smoothly, cracking his knuckles. "She's been usin' ya completely."

"Merle, shut the hell up! He's lying, I swear," Beth looked at Daryl pleadingly.

Daryl looked at Beth with hard eyes. "Maybe he ain't."

"You said.. You said that I should never believe anything that comes out of his mouth. Why would you believe him over me?" Beth murmured nervously.

"'cause up until now I thought I could trust ya 100%, but ya hid this from me an' who knows what else," Daryl's voice was cold in a way that Beth hadn't heard it in a long time.

"I.." Beth licked her lips, her eyes threatening to water. "I was gonna tell you before the fight and then after and.. Well, shit just kept coming up and there was never a good time.."

"Beth, ya had a million opportunities ta tell me 'bout this. If ya weren' hidin' anythin' bad, then ya woulda said somethin'. If it's jus' some innocent research project, then ya an' yer big fuckin' mouth would have already told me!" Daryl stood up shakily, almost falling back onto the couch in pain. Beth reached to help steady him and Daryl pulled away.

"Don' fuckin' touch me right now," he growled and Beth cowered back while Daryl hobbled over to rest his weight against the wall.

"Daryl, I'm so sorry.. I'm so sorry! I still promise that it's not what you think.. I didn't tell you before because I knew you would take it wrong and I was trying to figure out the best way to explain it," Beth put her hand over her mouth, sniffing softly.

"Oh, stop bein' such a fuckin' pussy. Both o' ya," Merle stood up and rolled his eyes.

Beth dropped her hand and glared hard at Merle. "How fucking could you?" Beth charged over and shoved Merle on the shoulders, making Merle swing back and punch Beth in the jaw.

Daryl flinched but stood still, not saying anything to defend Beth or trying to help. Beth held her hand over her jaw and tears ran down her cheeks from the pain of the blow and Daryl not even reacting to it.

"Ya don' touch me, ever," Merle's voice was angry and low. "This is how it's goin' ta work, ya two cost me a fuckin' lotta money an' yer goin' ta git it back."

Beth scoffed through her inner and outer pain. "I'm not doing shit for you. I'm done!"

Merle cackled and shook his head. "Oh Priss, we're jus' gettin' started."

"This isn't even about your daughter anymore, you want the money for yourself!" Beth seethed and looked at Daryl. "Yeah, did you know he's been hiding a daughter from you all? He claims that's why he's using you, to get money to take care of her," the secret flowed out without a second thought. Beth was so angry and just looking to point Daryl's disappointment away from her a bit.

Daryl lifted a brow from where he leaned against the wall, his eyes on Merle. "That's true? Ya have a daughter an' ya didn' even tell me. Was it Carol?"

The angry vein in Merle's forehead looked like it was going to pop. "Yer such a fuckin' liar.. Listen ta the shit ya make up jus' ta try ta make me look worse!"

Beth widened her eyes in disbelief. "W-what? I'm not lying, I saw her!" Beth looked at Daryl, nodding and still holding her aching jaw.

"Beth, jus'... Stop," Daryl closed his eyes.

"You don't believe me? Why the hell would I lie about something like this?" Beth's voice came out high.

"I don' even fuckin' know anymore," Daryl replied numbly. "But if it's true then it's jus' another thing ya kept from me."

"Yeah, Priss, he don' trust ya. I don' either," Merle added arbitrarily.

"Shut the fuck up, Merle," Daryl snarled. "I don' trust ya an' I really don' give a shit 'bout earnin' yer money back. I almost died 'cause o' ya."

Merle held up his hands. "Alright, I'll admit it was a bad call on my part."

Beth rolled her eyes hard. "That's a fucking understatement," she bit her lip and looked at Daryl brokenly. "I'm telling you the truth about Merle and about my project, I swear to you. I have reasons why I didn't tell you about his daughter earlier.."

"I really couldn' care less if Merle has a daughter er not, okay? All I can think 'bout is.." Daryl's jaw went tight and his gaze dropped down. "I told ya everythin', I didn' hide a single thing from ya."

"I know, and you don't know how much it meant to me.." Beth murmured, taking a staggering breath and shaking her head morosely.

"Alright, I've had 'bout enough o' this sappy horseshit," Merle grumbled. "Do ya two wanna know how yer gonna earn my money back, er not?"

"No!," both replied at once and Merle laughed.

"Oh, come on, it's gonna be so cool," he rubbed his hands together like an excited child. "I really don' think y'all say no."

Beth rubbed at her jaw delicately and flared her nostrils with a slow exhale, muttering, "I highly doubt that."

"Just fuckin' tell us so ya two can git out," Daryl held his hand over his ribs, gritting his teeth. It did not escape Beth that Daryl said he wanted her to leave too.

Merle crossed his arms over his chest and looked between Daryl and Beth. "I been thinkin' long an' hard 'bout how ta git all the money back an' punish ya both fer screwin' up."

"Daryl didn't screw up! He did nothing but obey you and-" Beth immediately started.

"Beth, I don' need ya defendin' me! Stop," he sighed tiredly and looked back to Merle. "Continue."

"How kind o' ya ta let me," Merle glared at Beth. "Anyway, here's what's goin' ta happen. The next fight I put on is goin' ta be a big one, it'll draw a huge crowd bl'cause it's so controversial an' there's a great story b'hind it," Merle grinned and Beth gulped. "I'll charge admission an' I can guarantee that some big names in fightin' will be there, 'cause somethin' like this has never happened 'fore."

Beth spared Daryl a glance and saw a similar worry on his face to her own. Merle let his words sink in for a moment before continuing on. "The next fight is goin' ta be.. Wait fer it!" Merle paused and flashed a big smile. "Between y two."

"No fuckin' way! No, no. I won' do it," Daryl said gruffly.

"Yeah, that's not going to happen. So much for your brilliant plan, idiot," Beth huffed, incredulous at the idea.

"Think o' it, two heartbroken lovers from the same fightin' team, dukin' it out in front o' hundreds o' people.. It's almost poetic, ain't it? I mean, there's only been a handful I' male an' female fights..." Merle wiped a fake tear from his cheek, unphased by Daryl's and Beth's reactions.

"Did ya not hear me? I won' do it. Forget it. I ain't goin' ta fight her," Daryl insisted in a deep voice.

Beth felt slightly relieved that at least Daryl wasn't mad enough to want to fight her. "Really, it's not going to happen," he said tersely.

"See, I thought this is how it would go down," Merle kept the smile on his face. "So, there's another part ta sweeten the deal."

"I don' want ta hear more, go the fuck home so I can git back in bed," Daryl put his hand over his face.

"No wait.. Y'all wanna hear this," Merle cracked his knuckles. "If ya two fight an' Priss here wins.. She gits her freedom from me."

Both went silent, their lips parting and their eyes widening. "Wh-what?" Beth finally spoke up.

"See, yer really gettin' on my nerves an' this whole school project yer doin' rubs me the wrong way. So, if I have the chance ta git rid o' ya, I think I'm gonna take it. Ya won' git ta do any more research an' I will no longer have ya constantly fuckin' up. Win-win fer me."

"But, you could just let me go then!" Beth yelled out. "Not make me fight Daryl."

"Nah, then I wouldn' make any money. Yer not keepin' up. Really, I thought ya were clever, Mrs. Graduate School," Merle chortled.

"Well, you'll have to figure something else out because you're not making money or getting rid of me that way," Beth said defiantly.

"We'll do it," Daryl spoke quietly.

Beth snapped her head to look at him. "Daryl.. What?"

"I said, we will do it. The fight is going to happen," Daryl replied resolutely.

"No, no, no!" Beth insisted. "There is no way we are fighting each other. Please, Daryl.. I'm sorry for everything, but.."

Daryl shot Beth a look that told her to shut up and then glanced at Merle. "You have a deal."

"I just knew ya would come 'round!" Merle clapped his hands.

"Daryl, this is.." Beth went on.

"We are fightin' Beth, whether ya fuckin' like it er not," Daryl spoke, his eyes hard.

"Oh good! The rivalry is beginnin' an' it's sure to bring in a lot o' people. Gotta love the tension," Merle walked to the door, swinging it open. "Dixon, ya better take care o' yerself so ya can start preparin' t put on a hell of a show. Priss, stop bein' such a whiny bitch an' train fer real. Dixon could kick yer ass easily, even in this state. An' yes, ya do both actually have ta try ta win. If ya don' then the deal is off," he left unceremoniously and the remaining awkward silence between Beth and Daryl was palpable.

Beth twisted her lips to the side and shoved a hand in her pocket. "Do you mind explaining what just happened..?"

Daryl's eyes met Beth's harshly. "We fight an' yer free, there ain't nothin' ta explain. Easiest decision."

"Daryl.. I don't need to be free if you aren't. I don't want to leave you in this situation.." Beth spoke sadly.

"Let me put it this way," Daryl leaned against the doorway of his room carefully, his eyes on Beth's face. "The sooner ya are free from Merle, the sooner ya are out o' my life, too."

Beth blinked rapidly, her lower lip quivering and her voice weak, "Daryl.. I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you.." Beth had thought that Daryl's decision was purely chivalrous because he wanted her to be free from danger, but she thought wrong.

"Look, 'm tired an' in so much fuckin' pain. I really.. I can' look at yer face anymore today without it tearin' me up inside.." Daryl muttered, his eyes closing.

"But.." Beth swallowed thickly. "Can we talk about it tomorrow then? ...Please."

"I think I need some space.. Ya know, ta heal an' git my strength back," Daryl lifted one shoulder lightly with a slow bob of his head.

"Please, I.." Beth rolled her lips in, knowing she should just shut up.

"After I am healed up, we will meet ta choreograph the fight. Until then, ya focus on school shit an' yer life apart from all o' this," Daryl said slowly.

Beth furrowed her brow. "What do you mean choreograph?"

Daryl rolled his eyes with a sigh. "We are goin' ta have ta make it look convincin', ain't we?"

"You mean.. We're going to fake it?" Beth questioned.

"The best we can, yeah. I'll show ya where ya can hit me without causin' too much damage, an' I will figure out where ta hit ya so that it looks like 'm actually tryin' ta win," Daryl replied simply. "We'll rehearse it an' put the fight on like we are performin' a play. But it has ta look completely legitimate, Beth. Which means that we will have ya hurt each other some."

"I thought when you said we would fight, you meant a real fight.." Beth trailed off.

"Beth, despite how I'm feelin' 'bout ya right now.. I could never bring myself ta intentionally hurt ya like that.." Daryl said wryly. "Even though that would make this a lot fuckin' easier if I wanted ta Plus, if I really went fer it, there ain't no way ya would win."

Beth bit her lip and nodded, seeing Daryl's logic clearly. "But then.. Daryl, do you think you can forgive me? Maybe I can show you in a few days all about my research and stuff, so you can see it's nothing bad.."

Daryl kept his eyes trained on Beth's face and his lips turned downward before he spoke slowly. "I'm willin' ta fake this fight so ya can be free an' live yer life without fear.. But I'm also willin' ta do it 'cause.. I ain't meant ta be with someone, Darlin'. I ain't ever was, an' I ain't ever will be. We need t be out o' each other's lives an' stop kiddin' ourselves."

"No," Beth shook her head, putting her hand on her chest. "That's not true, you have opened up so much and changed, and.."

"An' I got betrayed, once again," Daryl said dryly.

"I didn't mean to do that.." Beth's voice shook.

"Look.. I know y didn' mean ta but ya did an' that can' be changed. I actually do believe ya that yer research ain't goin' ta fuck me over, but I can' let this go.." Daryl sighed and bit the inside of his cheek. "Please jus' go, we'll talk soon 'bout the fight."

Beth felt tears gathering in her eyes but refused to let them fall in front of Daryl; she was already looking pathetic enough. Instead she sniffed and nodded quickly. "Alright, um.. I have a new number, so.." She awkwardly reached into her pocket and fumbled for her phone while walking to the kitchen table to scribble the number on the corner of a newspaper.

Daryl watched her carefully, his Adam's apple bobbing with a rough swallow. His voice was hoarse when he said, "I'll git in contact with ya."

"Yeah.. Thanks," Beth mumbled, sliding her fingers through her hair and working her sore jaw. "Are you.. Are you sure that you're going to be okay here alone?"

"I have people I can call if I need help," Daryl replied quickly, addressing Beth like an almost stranger.

"Yeah, of course you do.." Beth nodded wearily and put her hand on the doorknob, sparing Daryl one last glance. "You don't know how sorry I am.."

"Ya, 'm sorry too. I really am, Beth..." Daryl mumbled sadly and Beth could feel that he really meant it.

Beth left him there with the close of the door before wandering back home, numb with thoughts of her completely dismantled life that had broken apart into tragic fragments due to her own bad choices. Somehow, the idea of gaining her freedom didn't sound as appealing as it would have earlier that day. Because being free didn't matter if the price she had to pay was losing Daryl completely.


	21. The Beginning of the End

**Only have 7 chapters left! I'm almost sad :( but I'm excited to start on a new story ;) here's Chapter 21! Thank you all for reviewing. I love you guys!**

Chapter 21

Given the new deal with Merle, Beth deemed it safe for the time being for her and Maggie to be at their apartment and live life normally. The trouble was, Beth didn't quite fit in her old life anymore. She was like a slightly bent key that would never be able to slide into its lock to serve its purpose. But, she was trying. She really was.

She had torn through assignment after assignment, occupying her mind with analyses and problem-solving for classes in order to avoid having to think about her own problems. When she would stop for a moment to breathe, it would all come pouring back over her. Once they did this last thing for Merle, Daryl didn't want anything to do with Beth anymore.

Shaking her head and gritting her teeth, Beth typed almost furiously in an effort to drown out her screaming thoughts with the click of the keys. She didn't normally like to work while listening to music because it distracted her, but now, a distraction was just what she needed. She put her big and cushioned earphones on and cranked up the volume on her iPod to an almost unbearable level.

"There," she sighed out loud when her thoughts had been overcome by the the classical strings and pipes of the instrumental arrangement. She could finally relax through the flurry of notes and she began to work on her paper with purpose.

A little bit later, a hand on her shoulder scared the shit out of her and made her yank the headphones from her head. "What the hell?" She groaned and looked up at her peering roommate.

"Just thought maybe you should eat something.. It's been a few days, I think," Maggie pursed her lips.

"I ate last night," Beth's voice scratched out.

"You had a few crackers, it's not enough. Here," Maggie pushed a plate toward her with a sandwich and her favorite chips.

Beth was touched by the gesture, but she couldn't even stomach the situation she was in, let alone a sandwich. Maggie didn't have to know that though. "Thank you.." She murmured with a faint smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Maggie looked at her worriedly. "It's not like you to get this upset over a guy, Beth.."

Beth rubbed her lips together before setting them in a straight line. "I'm upset because it was my fault, Mags."

"So, why aren't you trying to fix it? Why are you just letting yourself waste away in front of your computer?" Maggie crossed her arms over her chest.

"I did try," Beth insisted. "He hasn't returned my texts or calls so I'm giving him space, which is obviously what he wants."

"But you'll be seeing him soon, yeah? To work on the fake fight or whatever," Maggie sat on the edge of Beth's bed.

"It's a real fight, we're just going to try to fake it so I will win without us getting hurt, I guess," Beth shrugged her slight shoulders. She huffed and pulled her hair into a messy bun.

"Beth... You should be more happy about this. You're going to be fucking free from all of this bullshit. You can live your life without fear again," Maggie encouraged.

"Yeah, and without Daryl.." Beth sighed wistfully.

"Alright, gonna need you to stop acting like a baby about all of this," Maggie said sternly. "Did you ever stop to think about the consequences of not taking care of yourself properly? If the fight has to look real, you can't look weak."

Beth swallowed and pinched the bridge of her nose, knowing her roommate had a point. "I honestly just feel like shit about this all, and I can't help the way I feel."

"Yes, you can. You've never pitied yourself before, ever. You've always fought for what is important to you, and I'll be damned if you lose your defiant attitude," Maggie spoke seriously.

Beth's lips turned up in a half-smile at that. "You should be a motivational speaker, you know?"

"Stop, I'm being serious," Maggie huffed.

"So am I.." Beth nodded and then stretched her neck from side to side, rubbing her cheeks. "You're right. The least I can do to try to make it up to Daryl is take care of myself and help make this fight as convincing as possible.. It's been two weeks, so I'm sure I'll hear from him soon," Beth hoped.

"See? I'm brilliant. I mean, I always knew it but it's nice to see you recognize it every once in a while," Maggie smirked lightly and nodded toward the plate of food. "Eat it, before I do."

Daryl turned the TV off and limped toward the door when he heard a knock. He was almost feeling like himself again, but he still needed some time to get back to tip-top shape. He looked through the peephole on the door and bit back a groan when he saw Merle's thick eyebrows overpowering the tiny window.

There was a small part in him that he had pushed away and locked in a box that hoped it was Beth. But a bigger part of him was glad it wasn't, because he hadn't fully formulated his thoughts about everything and he knew he'd just be cold toward Beth if she showed up now.

"Come on, open up. I have the good pain meds," Merle held up a brown paper bag and shook it.

Daryl rolled his eyes and opened the door, a firm look on his face. "Ya know I don' take that shit."

"Stop tryin' ta be such a hero, Darlina. That shit ain't impressin' anyone," he shoved the bag into Daryl's hands and Daryl curled his weak fists around it.

"What do ya want?" Daryl glared at him as he made himself comfortable on the couch.

"I wanna talk business, o'course," he leaned back and crossed one leg over the other.

Daryl shut the door and leaned against it with a heavy sigh. "Then talk an' git out," he tossed the bag on the table.

"Ohhh, someone is still touchy!" Merle chuckled. "Alright, alright, I wanna know how yer feelin'."

"Why?" Daryl looked at him skeptically.

"Can' I care 'bout how my baby brother is feelin'?" Merle feigned hurt and then smirked when Daryl looked at him in disbelief. "Fine, I wanna know how long 'til ya can fight."

Daryl puffed his cheeks, nodding. "Of course that's what ya wanna know.. I don' know, if ya throw me in there now then Priss will kick my ass without even tryin'. I don' think it'll be a good show."

"True, true," Merle agreed without argument because to him, the show was the most important part besides the money. "Well, I can hold it off a bit longer. Do ya need me ta train with ya, punk?"

Daryl wrinkled his nose. "No thanks. I actually want ta puke at the sight o' ya so it's best if I limit my exposure."

"Then I'm doin' my job right, asshole," Merle narrowed his eyes. "Fine, ya fend fer yerself an' Priss will take care of herself, too. It'll make things a hell o' a lot more interestin'.." he stood up and crossed the room to stand right in front of Daryl. "Ya know.. As much as I'd love ta git rid o' Priss an' never have ta see that smartass pretty face 'gain.. I'd love ta see ya knock her on her ass, too. Don' go easy on her, Dixon. 'm warnin' ya."

"I don' intend ta. Believe me.." Daryl spoke convincingly and Merle accepted the words.

"Good," he opened the door again. "Things are a lot easier now that ya ain't up her ass, by the way. I can see I got my guy back," he clapped Daryl on the arm and Daryl tensed.

"Hey.. Can I ask ya somethin' without ya goin' too psycho on me?" Daryl braved.

"I guess ya can give it a shot," Merle replied with a shrug.

"Do ya really have a daughter?" Daryl asked cautiously.

Merle's jaw tightened and he rolled his lips in. "I could kill Priss, really.." he sighed dramatically. "An' I will kill ya too if ya tell anyone, I mean it."

Daryl raised up his hands. "I ain't gonna say shit. Ya know that. I jus' don' know why ya lied 'bout it when it got brought up...the other day.." he finished weakly.

"''Cause I was pissed off an' I never wanted anyone ta know in the first place," Merle said tightly.

Beth hadn't been lying about that and even if it was too late then, it did make Daryl's stomach tighten a little at the realization. He quickly pushed thoughts of Beth from his mind and nodded casually to seem unaffected. "I understand, man. I won' say anythin'," Daryl played it cool. "I'll let y know when I'm feelin' ready ta fight, ya?"

Merle flashed him what was supposed to be a somewhat pleasant smile but it came off as a cocky smirk, as always. "Ya. Rest up, an' take the oxycodone, really. It might do ya good ta git out o' that thick head o' yers fer a while," he jabbed Daryl in the temple.

"Hey, wait.." Daryl tightened his lips, looking down for a moment in hesitation. "Is it her daughter?"

Merle blinked and stared at Daryl, leaning his shoulder against the doorframe and producing a sly smile. "There are a lot o' "her"s it could be, Daryl. So I have no idea who yer talkin' 'bout."

"Yes, ya do," Daryl immediately replied in a knowing voice and Merle's eyes turned into a glare.

"None o' yer fuckin' business, 'gain. Why don' ya focus on healin' yer weak ass instead o' puttin' yer nose where it don' belong," Merle turned and walked away, sticking up his middle finger over his shoulder as a parting gesture.

Daryl clenched and unclenched his fists for several moments after Merle left, his eyes drifting to the paper bag that he'd set on the table. He walked up to it and grabbed it, pulling out the bottle of pills and staring at it contemplatively. He needed the escape, it was true.

He went over to the sink and opened up the bottle, tipping it to pour all of the pills down the sink, washing them down with water. Despite how low he felt, he would never turn to drugs, prescription or not. Not after what he'd been through with his mother. Merle bringing him those as a gift only testified the fact that the man didn't know him at all. He didn't know Daryl in the slightest, and yet he ruled his life. Some fucking brother.

At that moment, Daryl missed Beth a lot but he would never admit that; it wasn't his nature.

When Beth received a text a few days later while she was in class, her heart skipped several consecutive beats and she caused a bit of a commotion when she knocked her water bottle off her desk.

-I wanna meet, please. We need to start discussing the fight.

Beth took a deep breath and composed a casual reply. Alright. When and where? As she typed the words, she resisted adding, Are you okay? I fucking miss you., but she was only barely able to.

-I'm gonna pick you up in my car. We can't meet anywhere around here. Pick you up in front of the coffee shop at the end of your street at 8 tonight.

Beth gulped. She had never been in a car with Daryl before and the idea of being in such a tight space with powerful tension and contention didn't seem like the best idea. But, she would do whatever Daryl  
requested because she absolutely owed him that.

I'll be there, were the words Beth selected to use from the thousands that were swarming in her head.

Daryl didn't reply, and Beth didn't expect him to. Not anymore.

"''Ey!" Carl waved from a table outside the coffee shop as Beth approached, Lizzie seated across from him..

Beth tensed up, wondering how the hell Carl seemed to show up at all the worst times. She waved back awkwardly and glanced around. "Um.. What are you doing here?"

Lizzie looked at her, confused. "I texted you and asked you if you wanted to have coffee. That's not why you're here?"

"Oh, you probably texted my old number," Beth shrugged and she glanced at Carl tightly.

"Why'd you get a new phone, anyway?" Lizzie questioned, bringing her cigarette to her lips.

"Hey, wanna see what Larry can do?" Carl abruptly changed the subject, which wasn't out of character for him, and Beth had never been more grateful to see him pull Larry out from his pocket.

Lizzie and Beth watched as Carl pulled out a little lizard snack and threw it up in the air. Larry stood on his hind legs and flicked out his tongue to catch it before it fell, returning to a lazy position and chewing it, clearly pleased with himself.

Lizzie clapped her hands and Beth was equal parts amazed and disturbed by the length of Larry's tongue, thinking that if he was human he'd find a girlfriend really easily.

"Really great job, little guy," Beth said awkwardly, because, well, she was talking to a lizard. Lizzie's phone rang and Beth took the opportunity of having her distracted to whisper to Carl, "can you take her inside for a minute? Daryl is meeting me here and I don't want her to ask questions. Please.."

Carl furrowed his brow. "But I thought you two weren't talking.."

"Maggie will fill you in, I'm sorry, but please.. I'll be perfectly safe, I promise you, I just don't want to have to explain all of this to her. You know it's better if she doesn't know."

Carl sighed and scooped Larry up to put him in his pocket, standing up with a nod. "I don't know about safe but.. Alright, You text me later, okay?"

"I will, for sure. Thank you, thank you," she gave Carl a quick hug and Carl chuckled.

"All good, dude. I wanted a donut from in there, anyway," he murmured before asking Lizzie to come with him and telling her he'd buy her a donut too.

Beth was grateful to have a moment of distraction with her friends to calm her nerves, but as soon as they went inside, Daryl pulled up. Beth had never seen his car, but it was undoubtedly him because it had Daryl's style all over it. A vintage, black sport's car that was a little scuffed up and rough around the edges, just like Daryl.

Beth took a deep breath before getting in, her heart immediately pounding when she was accosted by the familiar scent and the palpable tension between them. Beth glanced over at Daryl and bit her lip. Daryl didn't look back at her but just started driving forward.

Beth cleared her throat and crossed her arms over her chest, shivering at the iciness of Daryl's exterior.

"Ya cold?" Daryl asked gruffly, the veins in his neck pronounced.

Beth shook her head in response. "No, I'm good.."

After a loud sigh, Daryl spoke, "look, this can either be awkward as ass er we can push past it an' focus on the common goal o' outsmartin' Merle an' gettin' ya the fuck away from all o' this."

"I'm trying, Daryl..." Beth replied slowly and fiddled with her fingers, knowing that her getting away from all of this also meant away from Daryl. "It's just kind of hard."

"I fuckin' know, alright? It ain't like it's easy fer me either.." he sighed out the confession. "But tonight an' the next few times we meet are 'bout the fight. That's it. I don' want ta talk 'bout what happened er what's goin' ta happen. Can ya promise me that? 'cause if not, then forget this."

Beth's chest constricted unpleasantly. "Yeah, I promise. No talking about it. I will be focused."

"Thanks, 'cause I'm willin' ta act normal if ya are. There ain't no time ta waste with broken hearts an' emotional bullshit," Daryl said the harsh words with a surprisingly soft tone and took a turn on an unfamiliar road.

Beth closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath in order to adhere to Daryl's wishes. If he wanted normal, then Beth would do her absolute best. "Where are you taking me?" Beth glanced out the window curiously.

Daryl took a deep breath before responding. "Somewhere that Merle will never show up."

"How can you be sure?" Beth lifted a brow. "He is everywhere, I fucking swear."

"'cause.. Last time he was there, he got the hell beat out o' him by his worst enemy an' he'd be too pussy ta go back there," Daryl answered lowly and succinctly.

Beth blinked in surprise at the unexpected reply, searching Daryl's face for more answers. "I didn't think Merle was scared of anyone.. Do you mind telling me more?"

"This is the one exception.." Daryl licked his lips, deciding to go on only because it would keep an awkward silence from happening that would inevitably lead to Beth talking more about exactly what Daryl had asked her not to. "He used ta be good friends with this guy, Martinez, an' they got into this whole fightin' thing together."

Beth listened intently, fascinated by the never ending saga of this particular sect of fighting.

"They were on the same crew an' they were like brothers," Daryl snorted and rolled his eyes. "Always had each other's backs. That is, until they fell fer the same woman, Carol. I don' know all the dirty details, jus' what I saw an' what the guys mentioned here an' there. Merle don' like talkin' 'bout it ever," Daryl shrugged.

Beth relaxed at the ease of Daryl's voice and for the moment, it felt like things were okay between them again, even if Beth knew they weren't.

"So, we had this big ol' barn where Merle first trained me an' where we'd prep fer our fights. Martinez an' Merle made it up as nice as they could, got electricity in it an' shit, an' it was kinda our haven. Ya know, a fucked up sort o' one," Daryl rolled his eyes and Beth smiled wryly.

"Anyway, fer some reason that I  
can' even begin ta understand, Carol chose Merle over Martinez. It didn' sit right with Martinez, okay? So he shows up at the barn one day while me an' Leech are trainin' with Merle, an' he jus' starts goin' at him hard. I mean, not even holding back. An' Bleak is a big guy. The type o' guy ya'd never want 'gainst ya. Merle fought back, o'course, but it was brutal...Martinez cut Merle's right hand off." He grimaced.

Beth put her hand over her mouth, riveted by what really should have been a fictional story because it was too tragic to be real. "Holy shit. But.. What ended it?"

Daryl chewed on his lower lip. "Leech an' I stepped in 'cause it was what we were expected to do. At that point, Merle owned our asses even more than he does now.. If ya can imagine that. We were just kids, anyway, an' we wanted his approval. Plus he was losin' a lot o' blood from the wrist."

"Yeah, I can understand that.." Beth murmured and slipped a ring on and off her finger absently.

"We were able ta fight him off but Merle was nearly dead, I really thought he wasn' gonna make it," Daryl explained with a grimace.

"Why didn't you just let him die?" Beth asked coldly.

"'Hold yer tongue. He's a mean son o' a bitch but he's still blood. Beth, at that point I was still livin' with my ol' man an' lookin' fer a way ta git out o' there.. Merle was my shot an' I'd worked too hard at it ta give it up then," Daryl murmured and Beth nodded in understanding.

"What happened to Martinez? I mean.. How do you know he isn't still lurking about and using the barn?" Beth asked a bit sheepishly, unable to deny fearing a man that could scare Merle.

"Well, Martinez got hauled off ta prison fer drugs an'...I drove over here earlier ta make sure the place is secure. It's a bit dusty but it's safe. It's been long forgotten since we all moved on ta the city," Daryl nodded with a sigh. "Anyway, it's the one place I know Merle er the guys won' be snoopin' 'round. We can talk freely."

"Yeah.. Thanks for doing that. I'm kinda sick of Merle popping up out of my ass every second," Beth mumbled, looking out the window as Daryk pulled up to the barn. "It's not hard for you to be back here? I mean.. I'm guessing it's not that far from your.." Beth trailed off, regretting her words.

"My dad never knew where this place was ta begin with," Daryl filled in the blank and shook his head. "I ain't worried," he parked the car and grabbed his bag from the back, taking a flashlight from it and waiting for Beth to step over by him before turning it on. He shined the light at the big, brown structure and sighed. "Home sweet home."

Beth swallowed and shivered at the looming building. There was nothing sweet about it. "You said there are lights inside, right?" Beth asked nervously and it earned a chuckle from Daryl, which sent tingles through Beth's spine.

"Yes, there are lights. Knox is really good with wirin' so he was able ta hook us up ta a power line without us havin' ta pay. Don' ask me how," Daryl shrugged and opened the big and rusty door after unlocking it with a key. He reached in and flipped a switch to reveal a big room with various chairs and random objects scattered about.

Beth stepped inside and looked around while Daryl shut the door and locked it behind him, the stale air settling around them. "Sure there aren't any transients living here?" Beth peeked into the corners skeptically.

"Hell, yer paranoid.." Daryl's lips lifted in a slight smile and when Beth saw it, it quickly dropped to a cold expression again.

Beth sighed inwardly but shrugged her shoulders, expecting Daryl's reaction. She took a moment to look over his face, which was nearly healed up; there was just some slight discoloration left. A five o'clock shadow had begun to grow. Daryl's hands were still wrapped but he wasn't wearing a boot for his ankle anymore, so that was good.

"You look like you're almost better," Beth noted carefully.

Daryl chewed at his lip and sniffed. "Ya, I guess 'm gettin' there. Anyway, ain't important t'night. We're jus' gonna plan."

"Oh, if we're not training then I should have brought some beer for us," Beth kicked at some dirt on the ground. "Maybe it'd bring some inspiration on what we should do."

"I think drinkin' together would be a stupid idea," Daryl replied coarsely. "'sides, we don' need inspiration, I got it all in my head an' planned out."

"Of course you do," Beth sighed and brushed some dust off a chair before sitting down, biting her lower lip nervously and wondering how they could really be back at this point. It was just like the beginning when Daryl was so careful not to let anything happen between them. Except now, Beth knew all that she was really missing because she'd experienced it.

Daryl slipped a spiral notebook out of his bag and sat in a chair across from Beth, looking down at the paper with scribbled notes and tapping a pen against his lips. Beth watched his every movement and quickly glanced down at her lap when Daryl looked up.

"Stop starin' at me," Daryl grumbled and trapped the pen between his upper lip and nose while he thought.

"Sorry," Beth murmured back and crossed her legs, unable to resist smiling at how silly Daryl looked but making sure to make her face neutral when he looked at her

"Alright, this ain't goin' ta be easy.. Ya need ta know that right now," Daryl began.

"Of course it won't be, Merle has been fighting for years and he'll be able to tell if we are faking.. Yeah?" Beth worried.

"Ya, he will," Daryl replied slowly. "Which is why the emotions b'hind it have ta seem real. I know Merle is lookin' fer a fight where one o' us pusses out 'cause o' our history, but it can' be like that. It has ta be hard an' full on ta the end."

Beth was surprised by how candidly Daryl was talking about their "history", as if they weren't living it anymore and it was just written in a textbook somewhere. But, Beth knew what it was like to look at tough times objectively as a way to cope.

"Beth?" Daryl asked with his brow raised.

"Yeah, I got you," Beth quickly got out of her analytical mindset and put her head back into focus.

"Are ya sure?" Daryl leaned back in his chair, looking at Beth with slow blinks. "'cause it means that ya can' go easy on me jus' 'cause o' what happened with us."

"You mean.." Beth furrowed her brow. "You want me to really hit you and shit?"

"Ya, I do," Daryl replied simply. "At least a few times. An'.." Daryl bit his lip, leaning forward on his knees and shaking his head slowly. "I have ta really hit you.." he glanced up with apologetic eyes.

"Oh.." Beth mouthed and nodded. "I think.. I think I knew that. But, hard?" She asked hesitantly.

Daryl's jaw tightened and he rubbed his hand over it. "It has ta be hard enough fer the crowd and Merle ta hear it, Beth..."

"I, uh.." Beth mumbled. "I don't know if I can hit you like that."

"That's what we need ta work out.. 'cause I don' think I can hit ya like that either," Daryl rubbed his temples. "Which is why this would be so much easier if I had the desire ta hurt ya, but.. I don'."

"Maybe you can just think back to how mad you were at me the other day.. Or, how mad you still are.." Beth added timidly.

Daryl ducked his head down and bit the inside of his cheeks, taking an audible breath. "Ya promised ya wouldn' talk 'bout it.."

"I only mentioned it because I'm trying to help," Beth said honestly. "Not start shit."

"Ya, right, yer always startin' shit," Daryl said with a slight tone of affection which he tried to cover by clearing his throat.

"But, I mean it.. This time I really wanna help. If you want me to win this fight, I will do whatever it takes," Beth said confidently, even though her voice did waver a bit.

"Beth.." Daryl tilted his head and studied Beth's face. "Don' ya want ta win it, too?"

Beth laced her fingers and licked the corner of her lips, her left shoulder shrugging up slightly. "I believe my answer falls under the category of 'things that might start shit'."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "I'll allow the shit ta be started jus' a little bit."

"Yeah?" Beth blinked at the unexpected allowance. "Well.. If I lose then Merle gets his money still, and I don't have to leave you in this mess. We can both figure our way out another way.." Beth wanted to say 'together' but she didn't know if that was even a possibility anymore.

"No, no.. Beth, ya were never meant ta be involved with this anyway. I chose this life, ya didn't," Daryl asserted. "Ya got thrown into this 'cause o' me."

"You didn't choose it," Beth scoffed, tugging at a fraying string on the sleeve of her jacket. "You found your only option to get away from your dad."

"Come on.." Daryl sighed. "There were other ways I could have taken an' ya know that."

"But they would have taken years and who knows what would have happened to you by then.. Seriously, Daryl, nobody would blame you for the route you took," Beth insisted with a nod and big eyes.

"No matter how er why I chose this life, it's my burden ta bear, not yers," Daryl raised his eyebrow. "So, ya don' need ta worry 'bout leavin' me b'hind. I'll figure a way out, jus' like I'd always planned. Sure, the money is good but.. Fuck it, I don' even care 'bout that anymore. I'm jus' bidin' my time now."

It was a huge contrast to the mindset that Daryl had when Beth first met him. The fighting and the money excited him and he wanted Beth to feel that rush, too. But now, as Beth looked at the man in front of her, she could see how completely worn out he was by it all.

"I just.." Beth puffed her cheeks and blew out a breath. "You know I care about you, I'll leave it at that. It's why I'm not jumping up and down at the prospect of being free, not when you have to still live in this mess."

"Ya'll feel differently when ya realize how great life will be without havin' ta look over yer shoulder constantly.." Daryl muttered and swallowed thickly.

"Yeah, it will be nice to not be worried all the time about that.. But it doesn't mean that I won't be worried about you, I'm not going to lie," Beth admitted.

Daryl glanced at her with a hint of tenderness in his eyes. "Ya know I can take care o' myself. If ya want ta make my life easier, y'all agree ta do this right, an' y'all out o' this shit."

"Right, so you don't have to deal with me anymore.." Beth sucked in a breath through her teeth and clicked her tongue. "Got it."

"Beth.. We both know that ain't why," Daryl looked at her with a faintly pained expression. "It would make me feel better ta know that yer safe. That's all."

Beth couldn't help the light smile that turned up her lips. "Yeah, alright. If it's what you want, I'll do whatever you ask."

"Even hit me?" Daryl challenged and Beth pursed her lips for a moment.

"Yeah, even hit you. I'm sure if you're hitting me then it'll piss me off enough for me to muster the desire to knock you on your ass," Beth teased and a low chuckle rumbled in Daryl.

"That's what I need, that fightin' spirit," Daryl approved.

It really did feel like old times, and even though Beth wished they could be kissing and touching and doing what they got used to doing, this didn't feel bad. Maybe they had hope, just maybe.

"But you have to promise me something.. Well, two things," Beth amended and held up two fingers.

"I figured ya be demandin'.." Daryl sighed and motioned with his hand. "Go on."

"You have to hit me like you mean it.. Don't hold back for any reason, you know I can handle it," Beth looked at Daryl evenly and waited for him to respond.

"I'll do my best.." Daryl nodded slowly. "I think we might have ta.." he grimaced, "practice that. Fuck, 'm sorry."

"Hey, it could be worse," Beth shrugged. "The second thing is.. You gotta promise me that you'll do whatever you can to get out of this, okay?"

"Beth, ya know I will," Daryl sighed.

"I mean it.. I don't know if you want contact with me in the future or not.." Betn frowned. "But if there's some way that you can let me know that you got out, I want you to."

Daryl nodded gently in response. "Yeah, I'll make sure ya know somehow.."

"Thank you," Beth flashed a small smile. "Now," she cracked her knuckles, "shall we get down to business?"

"Let's," Daryl smiled back tightly. "An' yer off the hook t'night 'cause I ain't well enough ta punch ya yet."

"Oh, lucky me," Beth replied sarcastically.

"Yep," Daryl popped his lips. "Did ya ever do acting in school? 'cause this is gonna require a lot o' it."

"Um.. I was in a shitty rendition of Grease when I was 15. I played Sandy," Beth laughed.

"I would have paid ta see that.." Daryl bit down on a smile.

"Shut up.." Beth crossed her arms over her chest but a wide smile was on her face.

"We can' do this, Beth..." Daryl warned in a suddenly strained voice, his face falling.

"What? Be friendly to each other?" Beth questioned. "I think we can."

Daryl remained quiet and read over his notes on paper. Beth sighed loudly and spoke up. "So, are you still mad at me about what happened?"

"I see we've completely thrown the whole 'we ain't talkin' ' bout it' thing out the window.." Daryl dropped the notebook on the floor unceremoniously. "No, I ain't mad."

"Then.. Disappointed?" Beth pressed in a quiet voice.

"Ya, I guess that's part o' it, but not fer the reason ya think," Daryl shook his head slowly, looking at Beth.

"I should have told you about it sooner," Beth voiced. "I know I should have."

"Ya, but, I probably would have reacted the same.." Daryl rubbed his eyes. "'M just'...Like that."

Beth was taken aback by Daryl's honesty. "But.. You do believe me that it's purely schoolwork and that there is nothing personal involved, right?"

"I believe ya, girl," Daryl mumbled. "It opened my eyes ta other stuff, though."

"Like what?" Beth questioned nervously.

"Jus'.. That it was stupid fer us ta git so wrapped up in each other now. So risky, ya know? We got distracted even though we said we wouldn'. I ain't the type of guy that makes a good boyfriend, an' I feel like ya were needin' me ta be that fer ya.." Daryl patted his jacket pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, placing one between his lips and lighting it. "Ya want?" he offered the pack to Beth who declined it in order to speak.

"I wasn't needing you to be anything other that what you are.. I wasn't expecting this to turn into some ideal relationship where we seem perfect to everyone. Trust me, I've seen what a relationship like that looks like from the inside. I don't have any faith in traditional roles in relationships, I believe that you make your own in a way that it just..works," Beth rambled and bit her lip to keep from going on.

Daryl took a slow drag and wet his lips before exhaling, his eyes watching Beth's face carefully. "We need ta have an understandin'.. One that we hold ta this time," he swallowed and tapped ash off the tip of his cigarette. "Fer now, it's better if we only focus on this fight an' let the "us" talk die. Talkin' 'bout ain't goin' ta change the fact that we don' have time ta waste here. I hadn' planned on spendin' t'night talkin' 'bout this, Beth, I thought we'd git right ta work."

"But I think we needed to talk.." Beth said in a thick voice. "So that we know where we stand."

"Ya? I think we did," Daryl gave a tight nod. "Jus' 'cause I won' act on it, don' mean I don' have feelins' fer ya. Ya know that, right?" Daryl tilted his head in question.

Beth's heart was equally lifted and saddened by Daryl's words. "I know, Daryl," Beth responded meekly. "This.. Sucks."

Daryl let out a wistful laugh. "Like a lot. But well, life has a way o' kickin' me in the balls," Tom stood up, stubbing his cigarette out on the ground before reaching into his bag and pulling out a DVD. "I have homework fer ya."

Beth raised her eyebrows curiously and held out her hand to take the case, smirking. "You want me to watch 'Fight Club'?

"Ya, I do," Daryl nodded. "Ya need ta see what it's like ta act out a fight. Make yerself into a character, 'cause ya can' be Beth, the girl who don' want ta hit me." He reached in the bag for another movie. Smirking, he threw it to Beth.

She snorted, reading the cover. "Boondock Saints? This isn't even a fighting movie."

"Na, it ain't. But Norman Reedus is a complete badass...jus' pay attention ta the way he acts. Real tough guy shit."

"It makes sense.." Beth puckered her lips, looking at the back. "Wow, Norman Reedus...is sexy." She grinned.

Daryl rolled his eyes and kicked at Beth's foot. "It's jus' a fuckin' great movie that could help ya. If ya want, I can have ya watch some shitty dubbed kung-fu films instead," Daryl warned.

"No, no, I'm good with watching Brad Pitt and Norman Reedus kick some ass," Beth nodded quickly.

"Ya, thought ya'd like that," Daryl joked but his jaw was tight. "An' here," he handed Beth his notebook. "Read over my notes. We'll meet 'gain this weekend 'cause if we stick 'round here more we will jus' talk, since ya can' seem ta shut yer mouth ever."

Beth glared but had to agree. "Okay, okay," Beth stood up, holding the movies and notebook to her chest and glancing around the barn once more. "Sure it'll be cool to meet here from now on?"

"Ya, I wouldn' take ya somewhere unsafe.." Daryl murmured and walked to the door, making sure to lock up the barn before they headed to the car.

The drive home was fairly quiet but not uncomfortable once you subtracted the heated tension that was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Talking about everything had helped a lot, yet it didn't bring them any closer back together. Once again, Beth had no idea what Daryl really wanted, even though he had been very upfront about most everything.

No matter what though, Beth knew that she had to do everything in her power to make this fight convincing enough for her to win. If she was free, then at least Daryl would have someone on the outside that could help him. That is, if he let Beth stay in his life.

As much as Beth knew things were better between them now than the last time they were together, she couldn't seem to shake the feeling that this was the beginning of the end and Daryl was just trying to break it to her gently.


	22. Martinez is Back

**You guys really know how to make me smile :) I really appreciate everybody's feedback. It makes me really happy to know that y'all are liking the story so much! I'm sad that the story will be ending soon, but I promise of another story, or maybe even a sequel :) I decided to update again due to the amount of reviews I received, and because I know y'all want to know what happens between the two ;) I'm glad everybody like the Boondocks Saints bit I put in there ;) anyways! I thank you all again, much love, and happy reading! Reviews are loveeeee.**

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Beth put her pillow over her head and groaned. It was the rare occasion that Maggie had actually succeeded in Glenn home and they were getting to know one another in her room. There was quite a bit of growling on his part though and moans that sounded a bit like meows from her. Beth hoped they weren't doing some sort of kinky animal role-play because she just didn't want to hear that shit.

Giving up on the weak muffling powers of her pillow, Beth grabbed her ipod and put on her headphones, adjusting back against her pillow with a huff and crossing her arms over her chest. Her head bobbed mindlessly to the low beat of the song while she chewed on her lower lip and looked up at the ceiling, debating how this would go. See, when Beth listened to music, it either effectively drowned out her thoughts or it simply spurred them on, and lately she had a hell of a lot of thoughts.

Daryl's face hit her mind abruptly and Beth closed her eyes tightly, gritting her teeth. What was once a welcome sight had now become a painful reminder of what Beth didn't have anymore. After they'd met the other night, Beth had felt relieved that Daryl wasn't being cold toward her. But after more inadvertent deliberation, Beth realized that maybe it would have been better if Daryl had been cold toward her, because it would mean that he was still upset about them ending.

On the other hand, maybe Daryl being civil and trying to be himself was his way of saying that he wasn't actually that mad to begin with, and that after the fight was over, he'd be ready to resume things with Beth.

"Fucking hell," Beth groaned and changed the song in hopes that Daryl's face would leave with it. She had already spent entirely too much time thinking, and she would be meeting with Daryl the next night, which meant even more thoughts would be jammed in with the rest. She just wanted answers and some sort of resolve, but she wasn't getting any of that.

Beth had done her homework and Daryl had texted her the next meeting time and told her that he was ready to start practicing, meaning he was feeling better. It was a relief for Beth to hear, but she was really not looking forward to getting physical with Daryl in the fighting sense instead of the desirable one.

She wet her lips and drummed her fingers against the bed, taking a deep and calming breath. It wasn't just troubling thoughts of Daryl that had been frequenting Beth's mind, but also recollections. Bad ones, sure, but mostly the good ones. The ones that made Beth's stomach swirl and her cheeks flush faintly in remembrance.

Usually when a relationship ended for Beth, she wouldn't spend another second thinking about it. The lack of sex was a huge factor, she figured. She didn't regret having sex with him in the slightest, but sex definitely made it harder to forget.

But Daryl wasn't hers anymore and so when she started getting hard thinking about their sex, she felt guilty and ashamed. She moved the pillow that was on her face to between her legs in an effort to ignore the pestering of her lower parts but as always, her body had a mind of its own.

With a frustrated sigh, Beth slid her hand down over her bare stomach and into the confines of her panties to cup herself a little bit. She bit down on her lip to hold back any sounds as she started stroking it with purpose, her brow creasing in pleasure and her breathing becoming heavier.

She honestly just wanted to get it over with so she could sleep, so she went for the images that she knew would be make it feel the best, even if it'd make her feel like shit after. She thought of Daryl's hands on her, kissing her hard while he thrust quickly in and out of her in rhythm, their bodies melding together and their orgasms building. Beth let a quiet moan slip after a few moments and lifted her hips, her hand becoming a blur of movement as turned her head to bury her face in her pillow, groaning into it and finally releasing.

The hurt and shame had started to set in but thankfully the need to sleep won out and she was able to drift off without much more thought anything. When she woke up it'd be a different day but same story, and the only thing she had to look forward to was how entertainingly awkward it'd be for Maggie the next morning with her awkward sex with Glenn.

While Beth and Daryl were miserable, things in Merle's life seemed to be looking up. He was going to make a lot of money from the scorned lovers' fight and he was either going to be rid of Priss for good or have her finally put in her place. Either way, Merle would be satisfied.

So he walked in ease on the way to pick up his daughter for the weekend. The steel nub was in place of the blade he usually carried on his prosthetic. He had shaved and worn something nice that was a far cry from his usual intimidating street garb because her mother had no idea what Merle did to earn his money. She didn't care anymore, anyway.

Merle raised his eyebrows when she opened the door with a displeased glare. "Oh, it's you," she sighed.

"Easy, Carrie," Merle rolled his eyes.

"You know I don't like it when you call me that," she tapped her nails against the door frame. "Sophia is almost ready."

"I called ya that fer years.." Merle sighed loudly and looked past her to see Sophia come running.

"Daddy!" she wrapped her arms around him in an almost tackling hug, which of course didn't even make the sturdy man budge.

"Hey, kiddo!" he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "Ready ta go?"

"Yeah, are we still going to see a movie tonight?" she asked in a sweet voice.

"O'course, darlin'. Go wait in the car fer me, yeah? I need ta talk ta yer mom fer a second," he said gently and she complied. When Merle turned back to Carol, she did not look pleased.

"What do you want?" she crossed her arms over her chest. "I do have a life that doesn't involve you."

Merle refrained from calling her a bitch and continued on with his original thought. "I was thinkin' I might take Sophia on a little trip sometime next month.. I'm 'bout ta git a raise at work an'.."

"I don't think that's a good idea," she held up a hand to stop him. "I mean.. You never had her for longer than a weekend."

"Yeah...'ecause ya don' let me have her fer longer than that.." he reminded, trying to control his flaring anger.

"There's a reason. You're not responsible and I don't trust your temper.." she shook her head. "And you know I have good cause not to."

"I'd never git angry 'round her. 'sides, ya always knew I had anger issues.. But ya decided ta be with me anyway, didn' ya.." he pursed his lips.

"Well, we all know how that turned out," she shrugged her shoulders. "He's out, you know.." she added after a moment.

Merle blinked and his jaw tensed. "Who is?"

"You know who.." Carol raised her her eyebrows. "He got out of jail a few days ago on probation."

"How do ya know that, anyway?" Merle asked in a tight voice to hide any twinge of uneasiness.

"We kept in touch.." she said timidly, "over the years. He's moving to the city, too."

"I see.." Merle attempted to remain calm. "I really don' care. But.. He don' know 'bout Sophia, right? Ya weren' stupid enough ta tell him, were ya?"

Carol rolled her lips in and swallowed, suddenly finding something very interesting on the floor to avoid Carol's stare.

"Are ya.. Are ya fuckin' kiddin' me? Seriously, Carol? Nice, real nice. I can' believe ya'd trust him after everythin'!" Merle scoffed.

"He's not the man he used to be! He has changed, okay? Martinez is a good guy and it just took some discipline to bring it out in him," Carol argued but her tone was careful.

"Yer unbelievable.." Merle snarled and ran his fingers through his short hair.

Carol gulped and looked past him to the car uneasily. "If you're mad then maybe you shouldn't take her right now.."

"Ya ain't keepin' Sophia away from me," he shook his head. "If ya want him back in yer life, fine, but keep him the fuck away from my daughter. Ya have no idea what he's capable o'," he warned and walked away from the door, going to join his daughter in his car and deciding that he wouldn't let his temper ruin his time with her. But as he drove her home, his heart pounded nervously at the thought of Martinez free somewhere nearby.

Maggie plopped on the couch next to Beth the following day with a box of girl scout cookies. Beth gave her the side-eye and Maggie smiled wide, her teeth dark brown from the mint chocolate cookies she had obviously been eating a lot of.

"Ew, brush your teeth," Beth chucked a pillow at her.

Maggie didn't even flinch when it hit her face. "No way, there's no point in brushing my teeth yet if I'm still gonna eat more," she grabbed her bottle of water and guzzled some, swishing the water around in her mouth and smiling after. "Better?"

"Yeah.. But you're still gross," Beth sighed, too exhausted to think of a more witty insult.

"Ooooh, Fight Club," Maggie wiggled her ass against the couch cushion, getting comfortable and looking at the flat screen TV. "But why are you watching this when it's like, your life?" She asked, taking off her glasses to clean a chocolate smear off with the bottom of her shirt.

"Because Daryl wants me to watch it to get prepared.." Beth brought her knees up to his chest, wrapping her arms around her legs and shrugging. "I used to find this entertaining but now it just feels all too real."

"How are things with Daryl, anyway?" Maggie nudged Beth in the arm.

"We're in some sort of relationship limbo, I dunno. I can't tell if we're even friends or if he's just putting up with me and trying to be nice so I'll cooperate for this fight," Beth sighed loudly and rubbed her nose.

"Pretty sure you're just over-analyzing as always. You know, anal isn't always a good thing," Maggie said very matter-of-factly.

"What the.." Beth looked at her sister incredulously and laughed. "It amazes me that you think you're clever when you say shit like that."

"I'm just saying, go with the flow and do what you've gotta do. Once you're free from this whole thing, maybe you and Daryl will have another chance. One thing's for damn sure, there's no way you can make it work if you don't get your skinny ass free. So, get out of your head and focus on beating Daryl up," She handed Beth a cookie.

Beth took it and popped it in her mouth, mumbling around the food, "thank you. I'm meeting with him tonight, so we'll see."

Maggie wrinkled her nose while he watched Beth talk with her mouth full. "Really, you call me gross? I don't understand how someone so pretty can be so disgusting.." She tutted and stood up from the couch.

"Hey, by the way.." Beth swallowed. "I wasn't gonna ask but, what the hell did you and Glenn do last night..? I heard animal noises."

"Ohh.." Maggie shuddered. "He made me chase him around the room and bark like a dog. It's amazing what I'll put up with to get some. Anyway, he took the whole being a cat thing pretty seriously. You should see the scratches on my back!" She started to lift her shirt and Beth covered her eyes.

"Noooo, I don't want to see them," Beth shook her head adamantly.

"Wow, you're a pretty big wimp for someone who punches people for a living," Maggie laughed and headed off toward her room. "Good luck with Daryl later, don't be stupid."

"Yeah, thanks.." She would need to remember that. As much as she hated to admit when Maggie was right, she was right. Beth just needed to get over herself, as always, and focus on cooperating for the fight. So she watched the movie attentively and took mental notes on the way the actors and stuntmen moved their bodies to block and inflict "damage". After having fought for real, Beth could tell the distinction between that and the fake stuff, which meant that Merle would be able to tell, too. It was all going to be much harder than Beth had initially thought.

"Good, that's good," Daryl nodded, watching Beth's form as she swung punches at a sandbag that Daryl had hung up in the barn as a makeshift solution to not having the nicer equipment that Merle had provided.

Beth was punching in a slightly different and more ineffective way, like Daryl had just taught her. The technique she was practicing and trying to grill into her mind was one that wouldn't hurt Daryl as much when Beth's fist met his face. It wasn't the correct way to punch, but it looked real and it wouldn't do the damage of a legitimate hit.

"I need a little break," Beth panted and leaned down to rest her hands on her knees.

"Ya, we can take five minutes," Daryl allowed and glanced down at his watch.

Beth sighed and wiped the sweat dripping down her forehead with the bottom of her wifebeater, her cheeks burning when she felt Daryl's eyes on her. She dropped the shirt and rolled in her lips as she caught the movement of Daryl's Adam's apple in a slow gulp. Beth would have smirked and teased him but she couldn't bring herself to move; the tension was holding her in place.

After a fully charged moment, Daryl sighed loudly and took a long swallow of water, wiping his lips on the back of his hand. "Alright, ya seem warmed up.." he noted lowly. "I want ya ta try kneein' me next ta the hip but make it look like ya got my lower stomach, okay?"

Beth blinked and let out a deep sigh. "You make it sound so easy," she stretched her neck from side to side and approached Daryl cautiously.

"No, Beth, the fight ain't 'tween two turtles, it's 'tween two people that are supposed ta be fightin' hard," Daryl reached out and grabbed Beth's arm, tugging her forward abruptly. "Now, I gotten rid o' the distance so ya jus' have ta hit me," he raised his brows.

There was still hesitance in Beth and it pissed her off because she knew it was only holding both of them back. If she couldn't hit Daryl when it was just the two of them, there was no chance she'd be able to perform in front of a huge crowd of people. "Fuck, I.."

Daryl rolled his eyes and shoved Beth on the shoulders. "Com'on, hit me," he said in a commanding tone.

Beth narrowed her eyes and rolled her shoulder back when Daryl moved to push her again. "Quit it, I'm getting to it," she grumbled.

"There ain't no time fer thinkin', girl, jus' react," Daryl elbowed Beth in the side and Beth put up her other arm to block him before he could go for it again. "Don' make me hurt ya badly.." Daryl said in a warning tone that said he really didn't want to.

A look of disappointment covered Daryl's face when Beth swallowed nervously and dropped her arms. When Daryl swung his fist back with an apologetic sigh, Beth reacted quickly. She ducked to avoid the punch and gripped Daryl's shoulder while she angled her knee to make impact just to the left of Daryl's hipbone, making the man groan a little and stumble back.

Beth froze as Daryl rubbed the spot with his head ducked down. After a moment he slowly lifted his head and a faint, proud smirk was on his lips. "So ya do have some fight left in ya."

Beth pretended to scratch her cheek with her raised middle finger. "I've got plenty."

"Ya? Show me more.." Daryl wet his lips and without warning flipped around behind Beth and caught her arms in a tight hold.

Beth struggled against them and growled in frustration, finally stamping on Daryl's foot and bringing her elbow back just below Daryl's ribs, like they had talked about. When Daryl's grip loosened a little, Beth forced her forearms against Daryl's hold to break free. She turned around and took a swing at his jaw, landing a punch squarely on it and making Daryl's head move roughly to the side.

Beth put her hand over her chest and panted, waiting for Daryl's reaction to the punch. Beth didn't want to have to punch Daryl in the face during the fight, but even she knew that it would look beyond fake if they didn't go for each other there. But after Daryl's instruction and Beth practicing on the sandbag, she had no idea if she'd executed it properly.

Daryl raised an eyebrow and turned his head to face Beth once again, a small huff of laughter coming from him. "Damn.. Not bad."

Beth scoffed and was able to hold back a blush at the intense look Daryl gave her as he rubbed over his jaw.

"That's exactly what we need. We have ta go hard but not so hard that we really do beat the shit out o' each other," Daryl spoke again as if his instructions were easy.

"Well.." Beth bit down on her lip and shuffled a foot against the dirty ground when a lingering thought pushed to the front of her mind. "What if Merle catches on that it's fake? I mean.. What if he notices that we aren't fighting as hard as we can.."

Daryl sighed deeply and brought his hands to the back of his neck. "If that happens then.. We go fer real."

Beth blinked and her eyes widened at the idea. "W-what? That's absurd! You're saying we will really have to fight, all out?"

"If Merle notices that we're takin' it easy on each other, fuck yes. Beth, do ya really want him ta back out on his deal an' keep ya on? This is yer fuckin' chance ta be free an' I'll be damned if ya lose it 'cause yer a pussy 'bout this," Daryl said sternly. "I'm serious, Beth. If I think that Merle suspects us, 'm gonna give ya a cue ta start really hittin' me."

"I can't, no!" Beth started pacing and shaking her head. "This is not what we agreed on. The only reason why I even complied was because you said that we would fake it."

"An' we will," Daryl looked her in the eyes. "But we have to consider all possible outcomes.. Merle knows me, okay? He knows how I fight an' if he's payin' close attention, he will be able ta tell that 'm holdin' back. So.. We might have ta really fight in the end."

Beth honestly felt like crying, but not because she was sad, but because she was so fucking frustrated by her status of being owned by Merle. And it was for that very reason that she knew she had to do this how Daryl said. She had to play by the rules, this one last time.

"Fine. I have one condition though, and there's no way you're saying no," Beth braved and cocked an eyebrow.

"What is it?" Daryl said in faint annoyance, obviously expecting Beth to have some sort of retort.

"If I hurt you.. You have to let me take care of you after, just until I know you're okay. Then, I'll go or do whatever you want," Beth spoke clearly and firmly.

Daryl hesitated and gave Beth a pained look before nodding slightly. "Okay.. But if I ain't hurt that badly, then no."

"No, you let me take care of you, even if you aren't hurt that badly. I think.. I think we owe it to each other to just talk and be together a little bit before this.." Beth held out her hand to the side and swallowed thickly. "Before this all ends."

If Beth hadn't seen the conflicted look on Daryl's face before he dropped it down, she might have thought that Daryl really was over her and feelingless. "Alright. Y'all be.. Y'all be hurt too. I'll make sure yer okay an' then yer sister can take over. She'll do a good job."

"Have I mentioned that this sucks? All of it.." Beth picked up her water bottle and took a sip. "I don't really want the last day we spend together to consist of us kicking each other's asses, you know?"

"Beth, please," Daryl held up a hand. "We ain't gettin' into that. Ya an' I both have no clue what's goin' ta happen. We'll just.. Go with it. Okay?"

Once again, Daryl made something sound so easy when it really wasn't. "Yeah, okay," Beth nodded, knowing she'd only make things worse by bringing up more painful topics. At this point, physical pain was more bearable than the emotional kind.

"So, ya hit me now.." Daryl changed the subject. "But ya need ta feel how I do it."

A thought crossed Beth's mind that if anyone overheard their conversation it would sound incredibly kinky and fucked up. "I can handle it," Beth shrugged. "Just, try not to give me another black eye. People think I'm an asshole when I wear sunglasses indoors."

Daryl chuckled lowly. "Don' worry, yer eyes are safe. My aim is pretty spot on," he cracked his knuckles and flexed his fist. He raised his fist and looked at Beth's face. She was grimacing, wincing. He breathed deeply and felt a sickening feeling wash over him. "Ya have ta tell me if ya feel like it's too hard," Daryl whispered. He felt like he was going to be sick. He breathed in deep and connected his fist to her jaw.

"Fuck," Beth groaned and worked her jaw after, bringing her hand up to it and thinking. "Yeah.. That wasn't too bad," she decided slowly with a nod. "I can bear it."

Daryl let out an audible sigh of relief. "Excellent, I guess ya really do have a hard head," Daryl teased and didn't see it coming when Beth shifted quickly to kick Daryl in the back of the knees, making him crumble to the ground.

Beth moved behind him and got him in a headlock, laughing. "Maybe you should spend less time making fun of me and more time watching your back."

Daryl abruptly reached back and grabbed Beth's hips, hunching his back forward at the same time to flip Beth over his head and make her land rather unceremoniously on her back on the ground. The dust around them sifted up and Beth coughed at the impact and the dirt particles.

"I think I can do both, yeah?" Daryl smirked down at her and stood up, brushing off his knees.

Beth lifted her head slowly and propped herself up on her elbows, wincing. "Hey, why didn't you teach me how to do that?" She whined and rubbed the back of her head.

"'cause I can usually only git ya ta focus fer a few minutes 'fore ya git distracted," Daryl wiped his face on his towel.

Beth stood up and cringed as she cleaned the dirt off the ass of her pants, stepping over to Daryl. "I'm focused.. I want to learn how to flip you over. Maybe if we do a lot of that then the crowd and Merle won't notice we aren't hitting each other as much as we could be. I mean, it's all about the show, right?"

"Actually.. That's a pretty fuckin' good idea," Daryl admitted. "The people go wild over shit like that."

"See? My hard head is clever, at least," Beth grinned and Daryl twisted the towel in his hand and snapped Beth on the back with it, making her squeak and punch Daryl in the shoulder.

"Damn, yer gettin' stronger," Daryl lifted his shoulder with a groan and squinted one eye. "Alright, 'm gonna teach ya how ta do what I jus' did."

"But wait.. Are you sure I am strong enough for that?" Beth asked sheepishly, her confidence waning. The image of her flipping Daryl was more comical than anything.

"It ain't 'bout strength, it's jus' 'bout applyin' the proper resistance," Daryl popped his lips. "So git down on yer knees."

Beth bit back a smirk and Daryl huffed. "Oh, come on," Daryl shook his head but Beth caught the faint pink coloring of his cheeks and it made her stomach tighten.

She complied and got down on her knees as Daryl moved behind her. "Alright," he wrapped his arm around Beth's neck. "Yer back is gonna do most o' the work when ya bend over, ya jus' have ta git a good grip on my hips er thighs. Whichever is easier ta grab."

Beth reached back and felt around blindly as the pressure on her neck increased a little. They both froze when her hand accidentally brushed Daryl's crotch. Beth quickly moved her hands to Daryl's hips. "I'm sorry, I.."

"Definitely don' grab me there.. I can recover from a lot, but not if ya flip me by my dick," Daryl said seriously but after a beat they both started laughing.

"Oh my God.." Beth wheezed as Daryl still had a grip around her neck. "I solemnly swear to not flip you by your dick, Daryl."

"See? Ya stopped focusin' again," Daryl tried to scold but he was still laughing a little.

Beth rolled her eyes and gripped Daryl's hips firmly before bending forward and awkwardly but effectively flipping Daryl over on his back. Daryl landed with a surprised 'oof'.

"I think I was focusing fine," Beth brushed off her hands and looked down at Daryl's upside down face.

Daryl blinked up at her and dropped his arms out to the side. "Yer a fast learner.."

"When I really want to know how to do something, I learn very fast," Beth murmured and swallowed at the rising tension that was between them. Beth was still on her knees and the top of Daryl's head lay a foot or so away. Beth wet her lips and rested her hands on her thighs, her heart pounding in her chest. "You just gonna lay there all night? Did I win?" She attempted to lighten the mood.

Daryl sat up, shaking his head. "I don' give up that easily," he fixed the vest on his shoulders and turned to face Beth, getting on his knees as well to take a breath. "Ya did good, Beth," his eyes slowly met hers.

"I have a good teacher, so.." Beth's lips quirked up in a nervous smile as she was watched Daryl inch just a little closer.

Daryl licked the corner of his lips and pursed them, his eyes searching over Beth's face. "Ya'll have a bruise where I punched ya.." he brought his hand up to lightly trace a finger along Beth's jaw line.

Beth's breath hitched and she tried hard to not move, so afraid that if she did Daryl would come to his senses and stop touching her. After a moment, Daryl's hand dropped and his head moved down with it. "God, Beth.."

"It's okay.." Beth mumbled, finding her voice.

"No, this is harder than I thought it would be.." Daryl shook his head slowly.

"It's exactly as hard as I thought it would be," Beth shrugged. "Maybe we should call it a night?" Beth was shocked by her level head and her ability to resist what she wanted so much.

"Ya.." Daryl sighed. "I guess we should," he looked at his watch. "We been here fer four hours.. Ya probably have other shit ta do," he stood up and stretched his back before offering Beth his hand to stand up too.

When Beth took it, the charge between them was only amplified and it caused her to stand shakily to her feet. They didn't drop each other's hands right away and Beth studied them for a quiet but intense moment. When she dared to look at Daryl's face, she found him looking right back at her.

"I.." Daryl bit down on his bottom lip hard. "'m sorry.."

"For what?" Beth's voice came out unevenly and her brows creased.

Instead of answering, Daryl leaned in and pressed his lips firmly to Beth's. Beth breathed in quickly through her nose and let her lips return the pressure, lightly parting them after a moment to see what Daryl would do. Daryl slipped just the tip of his tongue between them and curled it lightly to brush over Beth's tongue. Beth shivered and gripped Daryl's upper arms, her head tilting so she could slide her tongue further along Daryl's.

Daryl roughly grabbed Beth's hips and pulled them against him, his hands finding Beth's ass and kneading it while his teeth scraped over Beth's bottom lip. A moan from Beth was muffled into the kiss and she let her arms move around Daryl's neck, licking and nipping at his upper lip.

Both shuddered when their bodies became flush and Beth's hands tangled in Daryl's hair, tugging on them lightly as their tongues twisted and swirled between their parted lips. Far too soon, Daryl pulled back with a soft wet noise emphasizing their lips separating.

They rested their foreheads together and panted over each other's lips while Beth waited for Daryl to freak out, because she knew it would come.

As anticipated, Daryl let go of Beth and turned his back on her, shaking his head. "Fuck, fuck.."

"Relax.. It's okay," Beth started in a weak voice.

"No, it ain't. I kept tellin' ya that it was over an' then it was me who kissed ya.. I had no right ta," Daryl murmured and brought his hands to his temples.

"You had every fucking right to," Beth started to get annoyed. "I don't see the big deal in you kissing me. We've done it before, Daryl, a lot."

"It'll be jus' like last time, darlin'. We'll git wrapped up in it an' we'll start slippin' an' git sloppy 'bout our work," Daryl turned with his arms crossed over his chest, his lips slightly swollen. "'m sorry, but I can' let history repeat itself. I have no intention fer that ta happen."

"Then why the hell did you kiss me? We were doing fine," Beth huffed and reached to grab her jacket.

"I said I was sorry!" Daryl argued. "I couldn' resist.."

"Yeah, well, you don't get just part of me. You can't kiss me whenever you want and apologize and think it'll be okay," Beth shocked herself with her own words.

"Beth...Ya jus' said it was okay.." Daryl said in a confused voice. Frankly, Beth didn't blame him for feeling that way.

"I meant, it's okay to kiss me if you want more. If you want it to be how it was. But you can't just kiss me when you feel like it and then go back to being cold right after. Sorry, but, my feelings have already been through the blender. I don't need them shaken up any more," Beth asserted and put her jacket on.

Daryl tilted his head, studying Beth's face before dropping his head in shame. "Yer right.. Yer completely right. It won' happen again, I swear ta ya."

"Wait.." Beth held out a hand. "That's not what I want, either. Fuck.. Don't say it won't happen again. Just.. Let's stick to our rules until after the fight, and like you said.. We'll see where it goes. But Daryl, I can't fall for you more if you're just going to drop me again after.. I really can't."

"I understand.." Daryl said tightly and swallowed roughly after. "Completely."

"Come on.. It's late, let's go," Beth murmured shakily, the whole situation feeling a bit surreal.

Beth crossed her arms over her chest when the cool night air hit her and she could see her breath as it came out in shaky strains. The loud noise of Daryl locking up the barn seemed even more punctuated in the silence around them, making Beth feel uneasy.

Daryl looked over at the car and then back to Beth, apology still in his eyes. "I hope that didn'.. Mess up how well we been able ta be 'round each other."

"It's not going to affect anything," Beth closed her eyes and shook her head, shivering lightly. "Let's get in the car because I'm freezing."

Daryl nodded and reached out to pat Beth on the arm before walking toward where the car was parked and hidden by some trees, just in case. "I talked ta Merle...Since 'm back in commission, the fight is goin' ta be in a week. I didn' tell ya b'fore 'cause I didn' want ta stress ya out.. We can meet a couple o' more times b'fore then but, 'm learnin' that there ain't a whole lot we can do ta prepare."

"Great, fucking great.." Beth sighed loudly and kicked at some loose gravel.

"Beth.. It's almost over. Yer almost out o' this an' then nobody will call the shots but yaself," Daryl said gently.

"And you-" Beth began.

"An' I will fend fer myself, as always," Daryl reminded her firmly. "It ain't nothin' fer ya ta worry 'bout anymore."

Beth sniffed but kept her face from conveying the hurt that Daryl's words had caused. "Yeah, I know you can take care of yourself. But just.. Remember our deal, okay?"

"I remember it, an' I will let ya care fer me a bit if I'm hurt after the fight," Daryl nodded slowly and unlocked the car.

"Good.. Where is the fight gonna be anyway?" Beth questioned, opening her door tiredly.

"There's a few different venues that Merle is checkin' out," Daryl rolled his eyes. "But my guess is that he'll go fer the biggest. There's an ol' amphitheater nearby that is temporarily closed fer repair. It's risky but, that'll draw an even bigger crowd," Daryl sighed and got into the car, starting it up and turning on the heater, much to Beth's pleasure.

"I just can't wait to get it over with," Beth said honestly, looking out the window and listening to the sound of the tires rolling over the gravel. "It makes me feel sick to even think about it."

"It's gonna be okay, Beth," Daryl hesitantly reached over and put his hand on her knee, squeezing it.

Beth turned her gaze to Daryl and their eyes met. "You sure about that?"

"Yeah.." Daryl glanced at the road and then back to Beth with a slow nod, his hand searching for Beth's to lace their fingers. "I'm sure."

Beth looked down at their hands as if they were foreign objects she was trying to interpret. Rather than add this occurrence to the endless mysteries and thoughts in her head, she decided to ask. "Do you mean that you think we might have a shot after all of this..?"

Daryl rubbed his lips together and slid his hand over the steering wheel, nodding faintly. "I don' see how I can stay away from ya. I don' know how I convinced myself that maybe I could."

Beth's breath caught and her heart started beating at an embarrassingly loud volume. "After all of this is over, we're gonna figure it out," Beth rested her cheek against the headrest, looking at Daryl and rubbing her thumb along Daryl's knuckles. "Even if it takes time and we have to go through more shit, I think we've proven we can handle it."

Daryl looked over at her with a sad but genuine smile. "Yer right.. It don' mean that ya can hold back when we fight, though. Ya know that, don' ya?"

"I have an even greater reason to not hold back now," Beth held up their hands and squeezed Daryl's "Don't worry, I'm going to make sure I win so I can get out of this.. And be there for you when you do, too."

Daryl brought Beth's hand over and kissed the back of it. The feeling was so familiar and comfortable but it also frayed Beth's nerves. It seemed a million ways of fucked up that the whole reason why she was doing this fight was so she could be with Daryl and yet Daryl was the person she was fighting. Merle was a bastard through and through, and no matter what Beth had to do, she was going to make him pay for everything he had done to Beth and Daryl.

…...

He snuck out from the protection of the woods and watched the car drive away, his mind racing with what he'd overheard the two talking about. He'd recognized one of them, Dixom, but he was older now and with a girl that he didn't know. He leaned against the wall of the barn, reveling in the nostalgia that being there brought him as a grim smile covered his lips.

"You can't hide from me, Merle. You owe me, and it looks like I'll be seeing you in a week at the fight," Martinez cracked his knuckles and let out a hoarse chuckle, his gold and silver capped teeth reflecting the moonlight.


	23. Priss Vs Dixon

**Only a few chapters left! I fucking love you all!**

"What are you doing up?" Beth asked as she noticed that her roommate was awake on a Saturday before 3pm and groggily pouring herself some cereal.

"I wanted to be up so-" Maggie was cut off by a yawn and she spilled some Cheerios on the counter when her eyes squinted. "So I could make sure to catch you before you ran off like you always do."

"Oh, you need something?" Beth asked as she packed a few essentials into her bag; pain killers and her overnight stuff just in case Daryl would let her stay over. The conditions of their new arrangement still weren't all that clear. They had met twice more during the past week and they had remained focused on training until they were in the car to go home. That's the only place where Daryl would hold Beth's hand and be affectionate, and there hadn't been any kisses since the intense one that Daryl had caught her off guard with.

"Well, I wanna know where the fight is," Maggie swept the spilled Cheerios into her bowl and poured milk over them, dropping a spoon in with a clanging noise. "You want some of this?" Maggie shook the box.

"Why would you need to know that?" Beth raised her brows and stretched her arms above her head, yawning wide and rubbing her eyes when they started to water from the strain. "And no, I'm too nervous to eat, thanks," Beth wrinkled her nose and rested her hand on her stomach.

"So I can come, obviously," Maggie looked at her like she was dumb while she set the cereal box down.

"No, no, no," Beth immediately started. "Absolutely not."

"Yeah right, this is my last chance to get to see you fight, I'm not missing it," Maggie said sternly.

"But.. You've been so against it all this time.." Beth perplexed.

"Yeah, I'm still against it, but now you're getting out. Before I didn't want to see you fight because I knew it would just piss me off more that you were stuck in that shit," Maggie shrugged and chewed her cereal.

Beth pursed her lips, sighing loudly through her nose. "I just don't think it's a good idea."

"Look, I could just ask Carl where the fight is since he is an encyclopedia of random information and he would definitely know, but I figured I should tell you so I don't just show up there and throw off your concentration," Maggie reasoned.

"It would still mess up my concentration if you're there," Beth voiced her thoughts. "No matter the circumstances."

"Or maybe it'd be nice to have at least one friendly face in the crowd, Beth," her sister pointed at her with her spoon. "Think about it."

"You just think it'll be funny to watch me fight," Beth countered with a faint smile.

"Well, I can't lie," Maggie chuckled, "I think it'll be pretty hilarious to see your long arms and legs for days trying to make precise movements. But really, I just want to support you, and I'm sure you'll do great."

"Well, I have to win," Beth bit her lip, a nervous feeling rising in her stomach. "So, let's hope I do great," she scratched the back of her neck, shrugging and dropping her arm. "Alright, you can come. But for real, stay near the back and just don't yell shit out or anything."

"Damn, that's too bad. I was gonna pack my pom poms and be your cheerleader," Maggie said dryly.

Beth shook her head and started scribbling out the address on a piece of paper, sliding it across the counter toward her roommate. "Here, you ass. It starts at 9pm, and you'll have to pay."

"I don't get in free because I know one of the stars of the fight? That's some bullshit," Maggie scoffed.

"Actually, Merle would probably charge you more if he knew you were with me," Beth rolled her eyes. "I gotta warm up and get ready. See you later," she flashed a tight smile at her roommate.

Beth secured her towel around her and wiped the steam off the bathroom mirror with her forearm, her hands resting on the counter while she stared at herself. She knew she needed to look the part in order to please Merle this one last time and make the night go more smoothly. So she dumped the contents of her makeup bag on the counter and got to work.

First, she used concealer on her dark under-eye circles that were reminders of her fitful sleep the night before when she couldn't quite get her mind to settle down.

She opened up an eyeshadow palette and selected the darkest shade of matte black to cover her eyelids completely. She blended it out and added some to her lower lash line to create a smoked out and intimidating effect which he finished off with black liner. As she gazed in the mirror she couldn't remember the last time she'd worn that much makeup. She hadn't felt like she'd needed it lately.

After her makeup was done, she went to put on the clothes she had selected and tossed on her bed. Tight black jeans, a somewhat transparent black tank and a denim vest on top of that. She made sure to forgo any rings or accessories for Daryl's sake.

Her hightop sneakers were put on and laced up and she was ready to tackle her hair that was drying into its somewhat wavy natural state. She pulled the blonde mane into a high pony. All in all, her preparations had given her a welcome distraction from the anxiety that she'd felt the whole day.

She put some lip balm on her dry lips that had been nervously bitten all day and she did the last step of deodorant, wishing that she had more she could do to put off the inevitable. But the time had come, and she had to go meet Daryl and they had to get this done.

"Just one more time. Just one more," Beth repeated to herself under her breath as she walked out the door.

Daryl opened the door and stopped in his tracks while his eyes traveled over Beth's appearance. "Wow.." he said after a few beats.

"I look okay, then?" Beth smirked lightly and stepped into the apartment.

Daryl didn't hide that he was staring at Beth's ass and he met Beth's eyes while he licked his lips. "It ain't really fair ta me fer ya ta look that good. I'll be distracted from the task o' beatin' ya up."

"Obviously that's part of my plan, I aim to win," Beth winked lightly. "You don't look so bad yourself.." She took in Daryl's attire of dark jeans and a ribbed gray wifebeater. His hair was in the usual scruffy state. He looked tough and hot, as always, but Beth couldn't even focus on that as the nerves hit her again. "God, I can't relax.."

"Neither can I.." Daryl sighed loudly. "I ain't ever been so nervous b'fore a fight, an' ya know I've fought a lot."

"Well, is there anything I can do to help..?" Beth offered quietly.

His eyes darkened slightly. "Probably not since yer the one I'm fightin' an' all," Daryl whispered. "I ain't ever been in a situation so fucked up, either," he rubbed his arm. "Ya feelin' okay though? All warmed up? I jus' wanted ta meet with ya in private in case ya have any last minute concerns. Ain't like we can talk 'bout this around Merle."

"Yep, I warmed up before I got ready," Beth nodded and glanced around the apartment that she was pretty sure she'd never have a chance to set foot in again. "I honestly feel as prepared as I can be with our plan.. Hey," she shrugged her bag off her shoulder. "Would it be presumptuous of me to ask if we're spending the night together?"

Daryl blinked and paused in thought, lifting up a shoulder at last. "I guess if ya want ta check up on me after it'd only make sense fer ya ta stay, right?"

"It was exactly my thinking, as well," Beth smiled in relief. "Are you ready for this?"

"Uhhh, no?" Daryl admitted with a humorless chuckle. "But it'll feel good when it's over an' yer out o' yer obligation."

Beth agreed with a nod and a wistful smile. "Well, I'll just leave this here and get going. We can't show up together, obviously.."

"Nope, we can'," Daryl swallowed and looked down as he exhaled slowly. "I'll see ya there, darlin'. Jus' r'member ta stay focused an' that we have ta act like we can' handle bein' 'round each other."

Beth had been thinking that she might get a kiss before she left, but Daryl was all business of course and all she got was a pat on the back. Beth rolled her eyes but smiled in parting. She'd get to be with Daryl that night and that was enough for her.

The amphitheater was dank, dusty and massive. When Beth walked down the steps, a few bits and pieces crumbled off and it was easy to see why the place was closed down for repairs. Caution tape and construction cones lined the perimeter, which seemed quite appropriate given the illicit activities that she would be engaging in there.

She saw Daryl across the way talking to Merle who had an excited look on his usually severe face. Beth took her time getting over there and got familiar with her surroundings as best she could in the dim glow of the night sky and the lights that had been strung up here and there. Beth felt relieved that there wouldn't be spotlights on them because maybe that would make certain things less noticeable.

Beth stopped in front of Daryl and Merle and purposefully kept her gaze off of Daryl. It was time to get in character and Merle had to feel the tension between the two.

"Well, look who finally showed up," Merle smirked and looked Beth up and down. "The diva graces us with her presence."

"'m gonna go warm up a bit," Daryl announced and walked off without sparing Beth a single look.

"This is gonna be fuckin' great," Merle laughed and patted his chest. "He can' even stand ta be next ta ya."

Beth cleared her throat. "Yeah, it will be a real barrel of laughs," she spoke sarcastically. "How many people are gonna be showing up?"

"Uh, let me jus' check my crystal ball, idiot," he replied equally sarcastically with a huff. "I ain't got no clue, but I ain't worried 'bout it. The word got out."

"Yeah, about that.. How do you know that the word didn't get out to any law enforcement? It's all kinds of illegal what we're doing here and where we're doing it," Beth questioned with a tilt of her head.

"I don' know, so git ready ta run like hell if necessary," Merle simply shrugged and then clapped Beth on the back way harder than friendly. "Alright, ya need ta git over there," Merle pointed to a secluded area behind a wall, "so nobody sees that stupidly pretty face b'fore the fight. Can' wait ta see ya git yer ass kicked!" he yelled over his shoulder as he went over to talk to Leech who was taking money from arriving people.

Beth shook her head and took a long and steadying breath before going over to where she was instructed. She leaned against the stone wall and bit the insides of her cheeks. She wasn't quite sure she was ready to be punched and hit, but then again, who the hell was ever ready for that. Beth could only imagine what was going through Daryl's head at that moment and if his thoughts were the same.

Having to fight against the one you love in front of a group of strangers seemed like one of those nightmares that you couldn't quite wake up from and had no idea why your brain produced it. Beth would sometimes have dreams that he was back in high school in a musical production and she'd realize it was opening night and she knew none of her lines or songs and had no costumes. Yet she had to go on anyway, because there was an audience waiting, just like in this situation. Of course, in her dreams she never got roughed up during a song or anything. So this had its own set of challenges.

Beth began stretching and warming up a bit more, even though she had been doing it intermittently throughout the whole day. It seemed like nothing could make her shake the feeling of being ill prepared, so she knew she just had to go for it. For such an unprecedented event, there was really no way to predict how it might go in order to prepare accordingly.

"Hey," Daryl whispered beside Beth and made her head snap toward him in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Beth whispered back, looking over her shoulder nervously.

"Relax, nobody saw me come," Daryl reached for Beth's hand and squeezed it. "Ya know, I saw Maggie out there.."

"Yeah," Beth sighed. "She really wanted to come and after all she's done for me I couldn't be a bitch and make her stay home. Although part of me hoped she'd get distracted by food and forget about the fight."

Daryl cracked a small smile though his nerves were showing through. "It's cool that she wants ta support ya. I don' have anyone out there rootin' fer me."

"I'm rooting for you," Beth raised both brows and Daryl looked at her through narrowed eyes.

"No, ya need ta be rootin' fer yaself," he corrected. "We want me t lose, r'member?" Daryl's smile weakly persisted.

"You know what I meant," Beth shook her head slowly and slid her fingers between Daryl's.

"Ya, I know," Daryl shrugged both shoulders and stole a quick kiss on Beth's cheek, which made Beth feel a little better somehow. "Listen.. When we're out there, I want ya ta think o' somethin' that makes ya so angry that ya wanna hit somethin'.."

Beth pursed her lips, nodding. "Easy enough, I just have to look over at Merle for a second."

"That's a really good plan," Daryl sighed with a soft nod. "Jus' r'member that the nicer ya are ta me, the more it will hurt us. It's twisted but that's jus' how it is."

"I promise not to be nice out there, but afterward I'm pretty much gonna be treating you like a baby if you're hurt. So be prepared for that," Beth smiled in amusement, thankful for the little talk to break through a bit of the harsh atmosphere.

"We'll see 'bout that.." Daryl rolled his eyes. "I better head back ta my spot," he murmured in disappointment and glanced around them once before using his body to push Beth back against the wall with a hard kiss.

Betb hadn't anticipated it but her arms quickly wound around Daryl's neck and her lips moved smoothly in response. Daryl dragged his tongue over Beth's lips, kissing them once more and pulling back, leaving both panting.

"I.." Beth blinked, a stupid smile on her face. "Wow. If you weren't on my side then I'd think that was a ploy to distract me."

"Good thing we're on the same side.. Good luck, an' r'member, git mean," Daryl smirked and bit his bottom lip, a boyish grin on his face as he walked away.

Beth had to work to turn her smile into the tight lips and stern face that was necessary, but she managed to get into character just in time. She was gonna win tonight.

The turnout was huge, just as Merle had expected. Beth didn't want to admit it but Merle was actually good at what he did, though she'd never ever tell the man that to his face. Beth searched the crowd a bit for Maggie but was unable to locate her, but Beth figured it was just because of her short woman status.

Beth and Daryl stood facing each other, each giving the other conflicted stares that they didn't even have to fake. Everything about this was wrong and when Merle introduced them and the crowd cheered and yelled, Beth felt ill.

"Now, before they b'gin, I want ta fill ya all in on a bit o' their history," Merle spoke proudly into the megaphone. "Ya see, these two are the products o' heartbreak, lies an' betrayal. Where there was once love," Merle spoke the word with disgust, "there is now bitterness an' a need fer revenge."

The people ooohed and ahhhed and Daryl cracked his knuckles, rolling his eyes and looking down at the ground. Merle was completely inaccurate but nobody knew it except Beth and Daryl. Maybe Maggie.

"Poor Priss here got rejected by Dixon b'cause she's a huge liar, in case ya all wanted ta know," Merle smirked and Beth looked at him with a tight jaw and glare while avoiding the judging stares of the crowd.

"So, here they are, ready ta finally git the closure they need. Normal people talk it out, but these two are gonna fight it the fuck out!" Merle grinned and held up his hand and knife while the crowd roared. "FIGHT!" Merle declared, backing up into the front of the crowd.

The people immediately quieted while Beth and Daryl started circling each other. They had practiced this; Daryl would be the first to move and Beth would react. Beth didn't have to worry about Daryl delivering, she just had to worry about herself and focus on not being a pussy.

Daryl, as expected, made the first swing at Beth's face and Beth ducked and moved to the side, attempting to hit Daryl in the stomach but getting blocked. Daryl grabbed Beth's forearm and twisted her around so Beth's back was to his chest, kicking her in the back of the legs after and making her fall to her knees.

Now was the moment that Beth really had to get it going. They'd gone over this and there was no excuse not to do it perfectly. Dar got Beth in a headlock from behind and Beth struggled, reaching back for Daryl's hips and leaning forward, managing to flip him over onto his back.

The noise of the impact echoed with the acoustics of the amphitheater and the crowd cheered in response. Daryl put his hand to the back of his head and started to get up but Beth put her foot on Daryl's chest to keep him down. In reality, Beth was barely applying any pressure. But Daryl's acting was good, and he groaned and flailed as if Beth was using all of her weight.

Daryl was able to get a hold on Beth's leg and he pulled her down to the ground, giving him a chance to stand up, stretch his neck from side to side and kick Beth in the arm. Beth faked a moan of pain and rolled over on her stomach to get up but Daryl kneed her in the side just as he'd gotten to his hands and knees.

As Beth awkwardly got to her feet with her fists held up defensively, she couldn't help but think how easy this was. It was just like practice. They weren't really hurting each other, it looked cool and it was working.

They continued on in that manner for a while. Blocking and faking punches, flipping each other over and getting each other into numerous locks and grips. It wasn't getting to a definitive point, but it was convincing enough to seem like they were really fighting if the crowd's reaction was any indication.

Beth felt relief until she spared a glance at Merle and saw his mind working and his eyes glaring hard. Merle knew something was up and he didn't seem happy about it.

Daryl swung a punch at Beth's jaw, hitting it with only a quarter of his strength but making it look hard. It was still enough impact to make Beth's head vibrate a little though and she cupped her jaw for a moment to stop the buzzing.

Beth knew the momentum and convincing moves had begun dwindling as they got further in. They had started to repeat things and it couldn't last like that forever. The reality was, this fight wasn't going to end until one of them was down, and Merle was going to watch them like a hawk until it happened.

Daryl caught Beth's worried look and glanced to Merle inconspicuously before giving their signal they'd established of a blink of the left eye, then the right and then both twice together. To anyone else it would just seem like dust from the ground had simply gotten in Daryl's eye, but to Beth, she knew it meant that it was time to fight for real.

She wanted to grab Daryl and leave, get out of there and not give a fuck what might happen, but instead she did what she knew she had to and she moved her fist back to give Daryl a hard punch to the chest. The crowd started up and tears of frustration rolled down Beth's face, intermingled with sweat from all their exertion. Daryl stumbled back and grimaced when he kicked Beth in the legs, making her fall to the ground with a real groan.

Daryl quickly straddled her legs and held his arm back warningly, giving Beth a subtle but pointed look. Beth used her palm to block the punch as it came and gripped Daryl's hand to twist his arm, making Daryl cry out in genuine pain and cower back, giving Beth a moment to get to her feet. She wiped her face roughly with her forearm and let out an uneven breath. Her entire body was shaking from the adrenaline and how upsetting this was.

Beth had her arms up when Daryl came at her again, but she was unable to block the punch that Daryl landed on her stomach. Beth doubled over and held her hand to where Daryl hit, wheezing for a moment and turning her head to look at Merle in a slow motion sort of way. Merle wore an incredibly pleased grin on his face and though it made Beth want to puke, it was working, Merle was buying it now because it was real.

They both hoped for some sort of distraction while they continued to punch and jab each other and their breathing became more labored. They prayed for anything to get Merle's focus off of them for just a few seconds. But they were not granted such fortune, and so Beth used all the anger she felt toward Merle to knock Daryl off his feet and onto the ground. At that point, the noises of the crowd and of Merle yelling had all blended together into some sort of eery and dysfunctional soundtrack. It set the tone for the tears that leaked down Beth's cheeks and the blood that dripped from Daryl's lips.

"COME ON!" Merle yelled! "FIGHT HER OFF, DIXON!"

"You have to hit me," Beth murmured without moving her lips while she put pressure on Daryl's neck with her forearm to excuse him from staying in that spot for a moment.

"Finish this now," Daryl breathed out, casting a sideways glance at Merle who was looking into the crowd and was as white as a ghost.

"Fuck, I'll have to hit you so hard for Merle to believe I really knocked you out," Beth sniffed and failed to block Daryl's fist when it came up and hit Beth's brow.

"Dammit.." Daryl murmured regretfully when he saw blood trickle down Beth's face, checking on Merle once more. "Ya won' have ta hit me hard," Daryl jerked his head toward Merle. "He ain't lookin'. Hit me. Fuckin' hit me," Daryl struggled beneath Beth and pretended to try to push him off. Beth looked over at Merle and saw that he was searching the crowd with panicked eyes instead of looking at the two of them on the ground.

Gritting her teeth, Beth swung back and hit Daryl's jaw just as they'd practiced several times with both fists. She could afford to do half-assed punches since the guy who would notice and care seemed to be completely preoccupied.

Daryl whipped his head back and forth at each impact with long groans and grunts, kicking his legs in an apparent struggle before letting his limbs go weak, his eyes shutting for effect.

A hush went over the crowd and Beth moved off of Daryl's body, quickly backing up on her knees and putting her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with fear. She knew Daryl would be okay, but his lifeless form was haunting her and she couldn't wait for it all to be over.

Beth turned her head to Merle who finally seemed to remember where he was as he was staring at Daryl's body on the ground. He slowly stalked past Beth and crouched down next to Daryl. "Baby brother?" he slapped Daryl's cheek lightly. "Ya ain't got nothin' left in ya? I expected better from ya."

Daryl slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Merle weakly, groaning as he shook his head and spoke in a choked up voice, "those last hits.. I didn' see 'em coming.."

Merle didn't see them coming either, since he had been so distracted, and so he had no choice but to believe Dixon and the crowd's reaction. "Alright.. Git up. I gotta get out o' here," Merle said in a clipped tone and stood up, looking over the crowd with quick turns of his head.

Beth furrowed her brows, watching Merle curiously while she stood shakily to her feet and brushed off her pants. The crowd was looking at Beth in awe and cheering her name but it didn't produce the feeling of pride in Beth that it had before. If anyone deserved that praise it was Daryl.

Merle walked by Beth, hitting her on the shoulder. "I ain't ever wanna see ya again, kid. Do ya understand? Yer dead ta me, as far as 'm concerned. Leave me alone an' I'll do the same fer ya. But if ya show up in my life again, I got no reason ta let you live," he glared and pushed past Beth into the crowd, grabbing Leech who had the big box of money that had been collected for admission and they both took off.

Beth looked after him, feeling equal parts of relief and confusion before looking over at Daryl who gave her a subtle thumbs up while he stood, and Beth bit back a smile at their accomplishment.

"Hey..." Maggie approached Beth timidly, her hands shoved in her pockets.

"Hey.. I couldn't see you in the crowd, shorty," Beth said uneasily, her voice hoarse.

"That was.. Wow," she shook her head, her voice quiet. "I didn't know you could really fight, Beth. And Daryl.." Maggie looked over at him. "Are you okay, dude?"

Daryl glanced around at the curious eyes that were on them before whispering, "I'm fine, thanks, but we can' talk here. I'll see ya later," Daryl raised an eyebrow at Beth and then limped off for the benefit of the remaining audience.

Beth nodded and rubbed a sore spot on her face. "Please walk with me to my car?"

"Yeah, I will," Maggie complied and spared Beth the occasional amazed look while they walked.

"Oh, stop it. You know it was a rigged fight. We faked it," Beth said under her breath.

"Not all of it.." She shook her head. "Even I couldn't tell that."

Beth stopped next to her car and shrugged. "Merle started to realize we weren't going balls to the wall, so. But then something distracted him at the end. Thank God.."

"Yeah! I saw that," Maggie's eyes widened. "He was staring at this tall and creepy dude that was giving him the death glare. That guy really knows how to make enemies. Even I had to stop myself from going over and kicking his ass when he was smiling his face off watching you get hit."

Beth crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against her car, frowning. "I wonder who the hell it was.. No matter how creepy he was, I'd love to send him flowers or some shit for saving our asses."

"That's pretty gay," Maggie teased and it helped lift Beth's mood. "Really though, I'm super proud of you. You did it and you did it well. I could never pull something off like that."

"Yeah, because your arms and legs are too short," Beth laughed lightly. "But thanks.. I guess it hasn't sunk in yet that Merle doesn't own my ass anymore," Beth mumbled, a faint smile on her lips.

"Hey, Merle doesn't own your ass anymore, but Daryl does," Maggie winked. "Speaking of which, you'd better go meet up with him. I think you actually did hurt him a bit...and he got a piece of you, too," Maggie pointed to Beth's bleeding eyebrow.

"I'll be okay.. I really will be now," Beth said sincerely. "Thanks for coming.. See you tomorrow, yeah?"

"No problem, that was worth the ten bucks, even if I could have gotten a pizza with that instead. Speaking of food, watching you fight and work so hard made me super hungry. Gonna go see what Carl has. Love you," she saluted Beth and walked to her car while Beth rolled her eyes at her roommate.

Daryl stripped his shirt off, feeling over the sore places on his chest and stomach while Beth watched closely, swallowing. "Anything really hurt?" Beth asked, her voice laced with concern.

"Honestly.. It ain't that bad. I got a headache an' some bruisin' an' this," Daryl pointed to his split lip, "but I've had way worse. I can' believe we actually pulled this shit off," Daryl smiled crookedly. "What about you?"

"I feel fine. Just kinda sore and achey, that's it.. I can't believe it either. I'm fucking free," Beth let out a breathless laugh and then stopped and frowned lightly when she remembered that Daryl still was not.

"Hey.." Daryl noticed his distress. "I will git out too, ya know I will," he nodded and licked over the dry blood on his lips. "Do ya know what would make us both feel better?"

"Chocolate?" Beth spoke before even thinking, an embarrassed blush covering her cheeks.

A slow grin spread on Daryl's lips. "Sorry, didn't realize it was that time of the month for you," she winked and chuckled.

"Shut up, I don't have to be a girl on her period to like chocolate.." Beth crossed her arms over her chest, glaring.

"No, ya don', but ta think that chocolate would fix a situation.. Yeah, ya do have ta be," Daryl shook his head with a smile. "I was gonna say a hot bath."

"Okay.. You know that's a little girly too," Beth replied with a smirk.

"But ya know it sounds amazing to ya, don' it?" Daryl raised his eyebrows and beckoned Beth with a finger.

Beth really couldn't argue with that plan.

They sat facing each other in the tub, their legs crossed under the water so their knees touched. The hot water soaked around their aching muscles and worked out the tension in their backs and arms.

Daryl got a washcloth wet in the water, wringing it out before lifting it to gently rub away the blood that had caked onto Beth's brow. Beth bit her lip at the stinging sensation and closed her eyes, her body leaning toward Daryl's obediently. Daryl gingerly cleaned it until it revealed the little abrasion.

"Fer some reason eyebrow injuries always bleed like crazy, even when they're tiny," Daryl explained in a voice that calmed Beth down further. "I didn' mean ta hit ya that hard though, 'm sorry."

"Other than a few bruises here and there, I think that's the only battle mark I'll have," Beth smiled lightly, opening her eyes. "Don't be sorry. You did so good, Daryl."

"No, ya did," Daryl nodded while he looked at Beth. "Ya were so convincin' that a few times I really did feel like ya hated me."

"I was channeling my Merle anger," Beth laughed lowly. "It was pretty effective."

"I'll say," Daryl agreed. "The crowd went wild fer ya. But I mean, look at ya.. How could they not?" Daryl murmured and set the washcloth on the side of the tub.

"Shhh, I'm sure my makeup is a mess right now and I look horrible," Beth wrinkled her nose.

Daryl puckered his lips, reaching for a clean cloth. "Ya know I like ya better without all that stuff, anyway," he dipped the washcloth into the water, getting close and softly wiping Beth's eye make up away, rewetting the cloth a few times until her face was bare. "Now I can see ya," Daryl smiled crookedly.

Beth rubbed her wet lips together and smiled shyly, her eyes traveling over Daryl's face. "I don't know how it's fair that I beat you up and then you end up taking care of me," she lifted her hand and brushed her thumb gently over Daryl's bottom lip, making his lips part. "Does this hurt?" Beth asked as she leaned in, her breath fanning over Daryl's lips.

"No, it don' hurt.." Daryl whispered and closed his eyes, his lips connecting with Beth's in a soft and slow kiss, their lips parting and meeting and their tongues brushing together languidly.

The water moved around them as Beth slid her arms around Daryl's neck, making Daryl lean back against his end of the tub, his arms wrapping tightly around Beth's waist as they continued to kiss. Beth's tongue laved over Daryl's lips, sucking the bottom one while her body shuddered against Daryl.

"God, Beth.." Daryl groaned and smoothed his hand up Beth's spine to tangle in her hair, his breathing heavy as he spread kisses down Beth's neck and to her shoulder, biting the flesh there gently.

"I fucking missed you.." Beth admitted in a shaky voice, burying her face in Daryl's neck.

"I'm sorry.. I'm sorry I reacted the way I did when ya told me 'bout yer paper," Daryl mumbled and hugged Beth tighter to him.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you right away.." Beth replied and rubbed her fingers along Daryl's scalp. "I don't blame you at all for acting like that."

"'M ain't used ta lettin' myself be in a position where someone could hurt me. I realized I had let my defenses down an' it fuckin' freaked me out.." Daryl sighed, his eyes shutting tight.

"Everything is okay now.." Beth nodded against him, pressing her wet lips to Daryl's cheek. "I can't cause problems for you anymore with Merle and.. We're gonna figure out how to get you out of this."

"I really don' see how, darlin'." Daryl confessed quietly, his chin on Beth's shoulder and his lips pursed. "Now that he lost ya, Merle is gonna hang on even tighter ta me," Daryl stared blankly at the tiled wall.

"Don't talk like that, okay?" Beth moved her head to look Daryl in the eyes. "I'm not going to be mixed up in it anymore, so I will have more clarity and I can brainstorm and-"

Beth was cut off by Daryl kissing her. Beth responded to the kiss with a sigh through her nose, knowing she had basically been told to shut up but not really giving a damn. They kissed for a few moments, the intensity trailing off with a few soft pecks.

"Thank ya fer carin' 'bout me like ya do.. Despite the odds, I do feel like it'll be okay. I jus'.." Daryl bit his lip, his cheeks flushing. "I have a really corny explanation fer why I still feel hope, so I don' think I wanna share it."

"Well, now you have to share it or else I won't stop asking. Come on, you know me," Beth smiled gently, bumping her nose against Daryl's.

Daryl huffed and caressed up Beth's side, looking at her. "I jus'  
don' think it's a coincidence that we met an' that we kept on meetin'.. I think ya have a purpose in my life. Not only ta bring some happiness ta it and make me feel things I didn' think possible, but also ta wake me up ta the reality O' what I've gotten myself into. B'cause o' you, I actually wanna git out of this an' I'm no longer resigned ta the idea that this life is all there is fer me. I feel like I could actually have a real shot beyond this," Daryl breathed out and Beth's heart pounded in her chest. "Now, here's the really cheesy part.. I kinda think ya were sent ta help me.. Like an angel, er somethin'." He cursed silently and licked his lips. "An ta think I'm twice yer age."

Normally a line like that would make Beth cringe but coming from Daryl, it was so sincere and Beth knew that it wasn't something that he would say unless he truly meant it. "Not cheesy, Daryl.. Not at all."

"Do ya believe in that sort o' thing?" Daryl questioned gently. "B'cause I didn' think I did. I've led a life that has left me cynical an' without faith. But I don' know, maybe somehow through all o' this, my mom is still lookin' out fer me.. Do ya think it's possible that she knew ya could change my life, an' that's why ya ended up at my dad's shop that first night?"

Beth didn't really know what she believed in, but in that moment while she listened to Daryl bare his soul, it all made perfect sense somehow. "Yeah, I think it's possible," Beth nodded, a tender look on her face. "At this point, I think anything is possible."

"Actually.. So do I," Daryl whispered and pecked Beth's lips. "Yer turnin' me into a fuckin' softie, ya know," he mumbled against Beth's lips, making Beth laugh.

"You're the perfect combination of tough and soft. You always have been, just took you a little bit to show me the mushy stuff," Beth smirked and rested her forehead against Daryl's, unable to fight back a yawn.

"Are ya tired?" Daryl asked, his fingertips stroking Beth's arms.

"Exhausted.. I slept like shit last night and then, well, tonight was quite the work out," Beth yawned again and kissed Daryl's lips. "Can we go to bed?"

Daryl blinked softly, his lips puckering. "Can ya ask me that one more time?"

"Can we go to bed?" Beth tilted her head, smiling. "Take me to bed."

"I like it," Daryl muttered, grabbing a towel and handing it to Beth before getting out and shaking one out to wrap around his waist. Beth took a moment to appreciate Daryl's body, as she always did.

Daryl rolled his eyes and pulled Beth against him once she'd put her towel on, kissing her lips. "Ya always look at me like yer seein' me naked fer the first time."

"Because you honestly look that good," Beth nodded smartly, nipping at Daryl's jaw.

They made their way to the bedroom and got into just underwear before collapsing into bed. They'd already taken pain pills as a precaution and no engagements the next day meant that they could sleep and sleep as long as they wanted.

"Try not ta kick me tonight, eh?" Daryl poked Beth's side and Beth groaned.

"Sore there and I don't kick," she replied indignantly.

Daryl yawned wide and smacked his lips, pulling Beth against his chest. "Yeah, yeah.. Hey, I love ya."

"I love you," Beth replied contentedly, thrilled with how easily they had fallen back into the way they were.

Daryl began kissing along Beth shoulder but paused when her phone started ringing on the night stand. He blinked and squinted his eyes at the bright light of the screen, seeing Merle's name. "Fuck. The hell does he want," he said gruffly. "Sorry, I gotta answer er else ya know he'll show up.."

Beth nodded and propped herself up on her elbow, a nervous and unpleasant feeling twisting in her stomach.

"Hello?" Daryl asked in an annoyed tone. Beth could make out Merle's words on the other end.

"Ya gotta pack up, brother. We're leavin' town," Merle's voice was panicked.

"What the fuck are ya talkin' 'bout..?" Daryl sat up in bed, looking over at Beth as they shared a worried look.

"Fuckin' Martinez, man. He was at the fight an' I know he's here ta make my life hell.. I gotta run."

Beth's eyes widened when she realized that Martinez was the man Maggie has seen Merle staring at. She rested a hand on Daryl's, biting her lip.

"So? Ya run then. I don' have ta come," Daryl said sternly.

"Actually, yes ya do," Merle growled. "I need ya ta make money."

"Ya know what? Fuck you. T'night ya made me fight against the person I'm in love with, ya, I said it, in love with, an' now ya want me ta jus' leave her an' my life? I ain't doin' it," Daryl said angrily.

Beth rolled her lips in, amazed and flattered by Daryl's words but incredibly concerned about Merle's next move. She laced their fingers and waited to hear Merles reply.

"If ya don' come, then I tell daddy where ya are an' yer in his hands. Ya know I have ways ta drain yer bank account an' y'all be fucked," Merle answered smugly.

"I don' need yer fuckin' money, anyway. I have places I can go ta avoid dad, too," Daryl huffed in frustration.

"Ya, like jail? B'cause I intend on tellin' him everythin' yabeen up ta an' ya know he would gladly haul yer ass there an' watch ya rot in prison," Merle spoke grimly and Daryl went quiet.

It took everything Beth had to not grab the phone from Daryl and curse Merle out, but she knew that it wouldn't be beneficial in that moment at all.

"Ya.. Ya wouldn' do that. I'd tell the cops everythin' 'bout ya an' the shit ya done. Ya be fucked, too," Daryl stammered, shaking his head and Beth tried to give his hand a comforting squeeze but Daryl pulled his away and Beth grimaced.

"I'd be long gone by then an' ya wouldn' have no clue where ta find me," Merle replied simply.

"Yer the biggest piece o' shit," Daryl spat, putting his hand to his face. "So what, ya want me ta come with ya an' jus' cooperate an' be yer little bitch the rest o' yer miserable life?"

"Look.. I just gotta figure out a way ta pay the guy off so he'll leave me alone. I'm sure he jus' wants money but I don' want ta give him a chance ta corner me. I need ya ta help me."

"Why don' ya fight yerself an' stop makin' me do yer dirty work?" Daryl kicked the sheets off his legs, closing his eyes.

"B'cause, ya know that ain't how things work an' it never was.. Ya signed up fer this life an' servitude. Ya have nobody ta blame but yerself. So, unless ya wanna go ta jail an' have dad callin' the shots again, pack yer shit. We're leavin' tomorrow night," Merle hung up.

Daryl remained silent and let the phone drop to the bed while Beth fought back tears that were trying desperately to spill over.

"I.." Darulyl shook his head back and forth. "I can' believe this.."

Beth's lower lip trembled and she bit it to keep it still, clearing her throat. "Do you have any options other than the two he gave you..?

"I don', an' he fuckin' knows I don'," Daryl fell back against the bed, the heels of his hands pressed to his eyes. "I should have known somethin' like this would happen."

"You know what?" Beth rested her hand on Daryl's chest, keeping her emotions at bay so she could think logically. "Make a deal with him that you help him get his money and then you're free."

"In case ya didn't notice, he ain't the type ta make deals that don' benefit him," Daryl flexed his fist and groaned at the discomfort in his knuckles.

"Look, he's making all these threats because he needs you. Without you, he'd be fucked and he knows that. So, tell him the way it's gonna be. I mean, he's a father for fuck's sake. He shouldn't be getting away with treating people like this.." Beth grumbled.

"This is easy fer ya ta say b'cause ya are free from him, girl," Daryl looked at her with a shrug. "He can' fuck with ya anymore but he still has the power ta completely unhinge my life."

"No, I'm just starting to realize more and more that he's not really as powerful as he claims to be.. Plus, look at how scared he is of Martinez. He's gonna skip town just because he saw him, Daryl. He didn't even talk to the guy. So.. Use that. Do you and Martinez have bad blood between you?"

Daryl shook his head slowly. "I mean, he may not be too fond o' me since I fight fer Merle, but he was alright ta me."

"So, maybe you can make a connection there and threaten to tell Martinez where Merle is in order to make him let you go," Beth raised her brows, nodding. "Hell, you don't even have to actually talk to Martinez, just make Merle believe that you did."

"I mean.. That might be possible," Daryl sucked in his top lip, releasing it in thought. "But, Beth.. I still have ta go with him first.."

Beth furrowed her brows. "Wait.. Why?"

"B'cause, if I threaten ta tell Martinez now then Merle will jus' take off an' call our dad.. I'll be in jail an' Merle will be free an' nobody will know where he is.. An' I'll still have ta be worried 'bout Merle fuckin' up my life someday if I don' hold cooperate with him now."

"Oh," Beth mouthed. "Fuck, you're right."

"So, I will have ta go with him, make the deal that I'll help him earn the money but then he has ta let me go. If he says no, then I will threaten to tell Martinez," Daryl pursed his lips, processing his words with a shrug.

"And what if when you do that, he says he'll tell your dad where you are?" Beth asked.

"At that point, this apartment won' be my home anymore. I'll be out wherever Merle is, so I'll jus' leave an' he won' be able ta find me ta tell my dad. Plus, Merle will be too chicken shit ta come back ta the city b'cause Martinez might be here. Ya, this could work," Daryl approved.

"So, it'll all pan out.. I know it will," Beth rolled her lips in. "But.. You still have to leave.." She looked down at her lap, fiddling with her fingers. "And who knows for how long.."

"I won' let it be a long time, Beth. If he starts drawin' it out then I will put the plan into action sooner. I jus'...I have ta be sure o' really bein' rid o' him. If I don' stick around until he has enough money then he will figure out a way ta make me stay. I know he will," Daryl complained and ran his fingertips over Beth's side.

Beth nodded and laid down to face Daryl, their legs tangling together. "What am I gonna do without you here?" She uttered sadly.

"Yer goin' ta finish up the semester without distractions an' graduate an' be with yer friends an' not have ta worry 'bout fightin' anymore.." Daryl cupped Beth's cheek, pecking her lips. "An' I will come back ta ya an' we will both have a fresh start."

A single tear slid down Beth's cheek and Daryl brushed it away with his thumb, frowning. "Don'.. Don' cry. This ain't over. We haven't even had our real beginnin' yet, sweetheart."

Beth breathed out shakily and pressed her lips to Daryl's in a sweet kiss, nodding. "I'm just gonna miss you so much.."

"I'll miss ya too," Daryl whispered, wrapping his arm tightly around Beth's waist and guiding Beth to rest her head on his chest. "But jus' think, ya'll be done with school an' I'll be done with all o' this. I can git a real job an' make an honest livin' an' ya can have dinner on the table every night by 7pm," Daryl laughed when Beth elbowed him. "'m kiddin', 'm kiddin'..I ain't too sure if I should trust yer cookin'," he teased and Beth just felt grateful that he was lightening the mood.

"We just have to get through a little bit more, yes," Beth agreed forlornly. "But you have it so much worse than me.. I wish I could help."

"Ya will be helpin' by stayin' here where I know yer safe," Daryl rested his chin on top of Beth's head. "I'll be okay. I will check in with ya every night ta let ya know that 'm safe, too."

Beth yawned wide, suddenly remembering how purely exhausted she was. "I don't want to think about being apart tonight. Can we just shut out the world for a little while?"

"Yeah, we can.." Daryl smiled faintly and brushed a kiss over Beth's head.

"And tomorrow I will help you pack and.. We can just be together. Okay?" Beth mumbled and kissed Daryl's chest.

"That sounds like jus' what I want.. Betj, this is gonna be good fer us. When I git back I'll find a new place an' we can go on dates an' I'll buy ya all the fuckin' chocolate ya want," Daryl whispered sleepily.

"You mean.. You'll be like my boyfriend?" Beth couldn't help the smile that spread over her lips.

"I'll be yer boyfriend," Daryl agreed and held Beth tighter while they both drifted off to a much needed sleep, keeping thoughts of the next day and the immediate future out of their heads.


	24. Plan B

**Did I mention how much I really love you guys?! Thank you all so much!**

Beth woke up feeling sore the next morning and somehow more vulnerable. Her arm was across Daryl's stomach and Beth took a moment to observe his sleeping and peaceful face. As Beth noted before, Daryl never looked so serene as he did when he slept. There nothing could touch him and the troubles of his real life were far, far away. If were possible, Beth would let him sleep all day just to see him have that sort of relief.

Deciding instead to just let him sleep a bit longer, Beth crept out of bed to use the bathroom and go to the kitchen to make a simple breakfast of toast and coffee. That was something she could manage without risk. She could feel her muscles and limbs protesting a little with each movement, but she found the ingredients with nimble fingers and quiet footsteps and prepared them as such, not wanting to wake Daryl during her breakfast excursion.

She pursed her lips as she briefly thought to herself that maybe breakfast in bed was a little too cheesy, but then she realized that she didn't want to miss one more moment of being in bed with Daryl and she didn't give a fuck. So she balanced the plate with the buttered toast and the two cups of coffee carefully while she walked back into the bedroom to place them on the nightstand. She crawled back under the covers with a shiver, seeking Daryl's warm body and tangling their legs.

Beth's subtle looks turned into tiny kisses over His face and down his nose. She pressed her lips to Daryl with a sweet pressure, increasing it when she felt Daryl stir and start to react. Daryl's hand slowly slid up the smooth contours of Beth's back and his fingers landed in Beth's messy hair.

"Mornin'," Daryl said in a hoarse voice, his lips turned up in a small and sleepy smile.

"Good morning," Beth whispered and kissed Daryl's lips again and rubbed their noses together. "I have breakfast."

"If yer implyin' that ya want me ta eat ya fer breakfast, 'm totally alright with that," Daryl chuckled throatily and Beth rolled her eyes.

"You just woke up and you're already sassy," Beth pecked his forehead and motioned with her head toward the plate of toast. "The only thing that I don't ever burn."

Daryl slowly sat up in bed with a big yawn followed by a groan. He frowned and brushed his hand over his side. "I feel like shit," he rubbed his face and leaned against the headboard.

"Me too," Beth smiled wryly. "But I guess it's cool to feel like shit together."

"Misery loves company, yeah? Thank ya," Daryl winked and took a piece of toast when Beth set the plate on the bed, biting into it and resting his head back against the headboard while he chewed.

Beth took a bite of toast, licking over her lips to collect the stray crumbs. She could feel Daryl's eyes on her and she smiled. "You stare at my tongue a lot."

"Well, ya stare at me in general a lot. I know ya were watchin' me while I slept," Daryl shrugged his shoulders.

"How did you know?" Beth's eyes widened.

"I didn't.. But now I do," Daryl laughed and kicked at Beth's foot under the covers.

"Fuck you," Beth sighed loudly but leaned against Daryl while they finished eating.

"Do ya still feel okay 'bout everythin' we talked a'out last night?" Daryl murmured between blowing cooling breaths over his coffee.

"I don't think I have much of a choice but to be okay with it.. But yeah, I think no matter how much it's going to suck, it'll work," Beth nodded, taking a careful sip of her drink.

Daryl rested his hand on Beth's thigh, squeezing it reassuringly. "What time is it?"

"Umm.." Beth grabbed her phone, squinting at the screen. "10:37.. I thought it'd be later."

"I wish it was earlier," Daryl said sadly and shook his head.

"Yeah, me too.." Beth agreed and glanced over at the closet. "How do you even know what to pack if you don't know how long you'll be gone?"

"I don', but I ain't like you. I don' need any fancy shit," Daryl elbowed Beth in the arm. "I can pack several o' each o' my basic stuff an' jus' roll with it. See, I don' have ta be all clean an' smooth lookin'. In fact, ''m more intimidating when I ain't."

"Just because I like to look good doesn't mean I'm not intimidating, eh?" Beth raised her eyebrow high. "But.. You have to pack up all your stuff, right? Like in the whole apartment?"

"Yep," Daryl popped his lips. "Luckily I never really moved in. I mean, the place came with its own furniture an' I jus' have a few things here an' there."

Beth nodded, having remembered the first time she came to Daryl's apartment and noticed how nice but bare everything was. There were no personal touches. "You can keep your stuff at my place," Beth offered.

"No, no," Daryl held up his hand. "I'll rent a little storage unit."

"Why?" Beth wrinkled her nose. "You don't have time and you don't have to waste your money."

"I dunno.. That's like 'm movin' in with ya er somethin', ain't it?" Daryl reasoned and cleared his throat.

"Your stuff will be moving in with me, not you. I'll just keep it until you're back and you're ready to find another place," Beth shrugged.

"Alright.." Daryl resigned with a sigh. "Thank ya, Beth," he took another sip of his coffee before setting it down.

"No big deal," Beth flashed a light smile and stretched her arms above her head. "We should get up and get this taken care of now so we don't have to worry later," Beth started to stand up only to be tugged back down by her arm.

"Or.. We should stay here now an' do that later," Daryl murmured against Beth's neck before licking slowly up the length of it to Beth's ear, scraping her earlobe lightly with his lower teeth.

Beth's eyes fluttered shut and she gripped Daryl's arm. "You're not too sore, or.." her thought trailed off when Daryl sucked her earlobe wetly and pressed his body against her side. "God," Beth sighed and rolled so her body was on top of his.

Daryl gripped Beth's ass with both hands and shuddered underneath her while their hips rocked together. Beth panted against Daryl's lips while she slowly traced the curves of them with her tongue, stopping when Daryl's tongue wrapped around hers in a deep kiss.

"Mmm.." Beth hummed in approval as Daryl's hand slipped beneath her panties, his fingers trailing over Beth's lower back and ass.

Daryl cracked a smile against Beth's lips and opened his eyes slowly, looking up at Beth. Her eyes opened when she felt Daryl's and she gave him a look of confusion. "What?" Beth questioned.

"Nothin'.." Daryl rolled his lips in to hold back a laugh, his hand kneading Beth's ass slowly.

"No, tell me," Beth bit his lower lip carefully to avoid the spot that was a bit swollen from the fight.

"It's jus', yer ass is really soft. Like super soft," Daryl's shoulders started shaking in silent laughter.

"Is that a bad thing?" Beth raised her brows and poked Daryl's chest. "You've felt my ass before,"

"It ain't a bad thing at all.. I fuckin' love it, I jus' missed it," Daryl sighed softly and kissed Beth's lips.

"So.. You missed my super soft ass and that makes you laugh," Beth tried to add it up.

"'M laughin' b'cause 'm happy.." Daryl blinked softly, keeping his eyes on Beth's face.

"My soft ass makes you happy," Beth said with a nod and an amused smirk.

"Ya make me happy," Daryl corrected and Beth gave a smile and pout combination. "Yer baby soft ass is jus' a perk," Daryl cracked up and Beth rolled her eyes.

"Oh my God, quit talking about my ass and do something about it," Beth challenged with a firm kiss, moaning when Daryl rolled them over abruptly to take the top position.

Beth spread her legs to afford Daryl more room between them and their lips moved together in slow and wet kisses while Daryl's expert tongue made Beth want to melt into the bed. "I'm happy too," Beth breathed between kisses and little grunts of pleasure.

Daryl trailed kisses along the defined line of Beth's jaw and whispered close to her ear, "maybe I can make ya happier."

Beth was unable to stop the loud moan of pleasure in reaction to Daryl's hand sliding between them to place his fingers on her hot center. He massaged it through Beth's panties with slow and firm passes of his hand, making Beth's toes quite literally curl.

"I think you can.." Beth nodded with a breathy agreement and scratched her nails lightly down Daryl's bare back.

"Yer not too sore, right?" Daryl murmured in a low and smooth voice, his breathing slowly increasing.

"I'm perfectly able, I assure you.." Beth sighed, pushing Daryl's boxers down hastily.

"Good, b'cause I don' think I can stop touchin' ya," Daryl shook his head and moved his underwear down his legs before gripping Beth's and tugging them off without care.

Their naked bodies rubbed and ground together until they were both panting, horny messes. "I want.." Beth whispered throatily, her cheeks flushed pink.

"Tell me what ya want," Daryl urged, licking slowly over Beth's collarbone.

"I want you to...kiss me...down there." Beth said in a wisp of a voice, closing her eyes tightly and gripping the sheets.

Daryl's mouth watered and he cracked a small and pleased grin. "Kiss ya here?" He kissed to Beth's shoulder and sucked the tight skin here.

Beth moaned but shook her head fervently. "Not there."

"Oh.. Maybe here," Daryl traced his tongue over her breast until it reached her nipple, licking around it in a slow circle before sucking on the tip with firm pressure.

"Fuck," Beth's hand hit the bed and her hips bucked up in response. "That's.. Good but.."

"But ya want my lips on yer drippin'..." He licked his lips and bit his lip. "Wet..." He was about to lose control. He whispered against her skin' "Pussy." Daryl lifted a brow, chuckling lowly and slid a finger into her tight channel.

She let out a long string of curses. Nobody has ever kissed her...down there. Beth bit her lower lip, peeking down at Daryl's dark eyes. "Please, I want it so bad," Beth whispered out.

He swallowed hard and watched Beth's face contort with pleasure. "I'll kiss it," Daryl mumbled against Beth's stomach while he spread wet and hot kisses over it. He dipped his tongue into Beth's navel before trailing it downward in a teasing line.

Beth puffed her cheeks, releasing a deep breath and tilting her head back when the wet tip of Daryl's tongue brushed along the slit of her pussy. Every nerve in her body was vibrating with the white fire that ached in her lower stomach. She never wanted someone so bad in her life. Beth watched Daryl's lips part around it in a tortuously slow suck and slide down his tongue into the crevice.

The warm and encompassing pleasure that Beth felt made her arch his back, her hand searching for Daryl's cheek to cup while her thumb rubbed over Daryl's skin encouragingly. "Fuck, Daryl.." Beth practically moaned the words. "Like that, yeah.."

"Ya like that?" He slurped around her clit, kissing it softly. She was mewling under every swipe of his tongue. "Ya like that sweetheart?" Daryl smirked at the strangled cries that poured from her lips. He sucked down to her opening and back up to her clit, his lips pulling off and his warm breath fanning over Beth's wet pussy. "Ya have two choices.. I can keep goin' until ya come er..." Daryl pursed his lips in a wet kiss against the lips, "ya can let me fuck ya hard until ya come."

"They both sound too good," Beth laughed breathlessly. "I choose the second option though, hands down," Beth flashed a wide smile and lifted her hips so her vagina bumped Daryl's wet lips.

He rolled his eyes and slapped the side of Beth's ass. "Brat. I'm gonna fuck ya even harder now," Daryl's eyes became impossibly darker. '

"Just what I was hoping for," Beth smoothed her hands over Daryl's stomach and watched the muscles contract under her touch.

Daryl bit back a moan and got on his knees in front of Beth, staring down at her pale body. "Ya really gotten more muscles since we first met.." Daryl bit his lip and walked his fingertips up Beth's inner thigh.

"Some jerk has been making me train really hard," Beth teased and shivered, goosebumps appearing on her skin.

"Maybe that jerk can make it up to ya," Daryl smiled down at her faintly and lightly rubbed along Beth's opening.

"He always more than makes it up to me," Beth sighed and spread her legs further, her head falling back against the pillow.

Daryl worked his finger in and out slowly before adding a second, being so careful with Beth as he always tried to be. Even when they fought, Daryl did all he could to avoid causing any damage.

Beth reached forward after a moment to take Daryl's cock in her hand, tugging on his arm with her other hand to pull their bodies flush together. "Please.. Now," Beth whispered and kissed Daryl's lips hard.

Daryl let out a muffled groan. "Beth..." Daryl breathed against Beth's lips and looked in her eyes.

Beth brushed her nose over Daryl's gazing up at him. "What is it?"

"'M.. I'm goin' ta miss ya." He closed his eyes and slowly started pressing into Beth.

They moaned mutually and Beth wrapped his arms around Daryl's middle to pull him as close as possible, hiding her face in Daryl's neck. "I'm gonna miss you a lot. You don't even know."

Daryl rocked his hips in sync with Beth's for a while, their bodies making a slow climb of pleasure as they simply enjoyed the feeling without any rush. "I'll come home ta ya soon," Daryl whispered near Beth's ear, nipping at the lobe softly and flicking his tongue against it.

Beth shuddered and squeezed around Daryl, making him moan roughly. "I'll be here waiting for you, I promise.." Beth murmured and started lifting her hips to meet each thrust, the momentum increasing and sweat dripping between their bodies as they moved faster and harder.

Beth's boobs rubbed between their bodies with their peaked nipples while the burn of satisfaction was rising in Beth's groin. Daryl placed Beth's legs over his shoulders so he could get in deeper, the angle of his hips causing his dick to rub right against Beth's spot hidden inside.

Beth cried out and scratched down Daryl's back, her hips moving wildly with Daryl's to keep the rhythm. "Fuck, I.."

"Me too," Daryl grunted and reached between them to give Beth the last few touches she needed to be pushed over the edge.

Beth unraveled between them with long and whimpering moans while Daryl did his final thrusts before releasing into Beth with a deep groan. After a flurry of heavy breathing and desperate movements to prolong the pleasure, Daryl collapsed on top of Beth and they kissed languidly.

Several moments passed where the only sounds were their breath, content moans and lazy kisses. Daryl finally spoke up to say, "why don' we do that more often?"

Beth laughed and stretched beneath Daryl. "Because of your many rules."

"I'm an idiot, ya know," Daryl grinned and kissed Beth's lips while he pulled out with a soft moan.

"When you get back, no rules. Okay? Just us," Beth nodded and caressed Daryl's back.

"That sounds like a rule right there.." Daryl raised his brows and smirked.

"I'm allowed to make rules, not you," Beth grinned and Daryl pinched his side.

"If yer rules involve lots o' sex, pretty sure 'm okay with that," Daryl sighed and rolled off of Beth, rubbing his eyes. "I need ta start packin'.."

"I'm gonna help you," Beth slowly stood up, groaning a little and licking her lips.

Daryl's eyes traveled up Beth's body to her face. "Do me a favor an' put some clothes on if ya wanna help me. B'cause otherwise I have a feelin' I'll do very counterproductive things with yer body."

Beth smirked and shook her head, reaching into her bag to find her clothes to put on. Daryl stood up and stretched, grabbing his boxers while Beth watched. "Really, it's a good thing clothes exist or we would be fucked," Beth laughed.

"Well, ya would be fucked," Daryl winked and made his way to the closet, patting his stomach and opening the door.

Beth wrapped her arms around Daryl from behind and kissed the side of his neck.

He closed his eyes briefly and turned his head to kiss Beth's cheek. Daryl smiled and rubbed Beth's arm before stepping out of her embrace to reach for his bag that was up on the closet shelf, tossing it onto the ground with a groan. "I hate packin'."

"Seems like something an organizer would love to do," Beth teased and started combing through Daryl's clothes with her fingers, looking over them.

"So what, you're just skipping town?" Carol had her arms crossed over her chest while Merle hastily packed up his stuff and Sophia watched cartoons in the next room.

Merle sighed loudly. "I told ya, I have reasons. This aint only ta. protect me but ta protect you and Sophia too."

"I can't believe you had me bring her over here when she's just going to have to see you leave. Again," Carol shook her head disapprovingly and glanced through the doorway at their daughter.

"Look, it ain't like last time. I ain't goin' to disappear without a word. I'll keep in touch an' send things when I can. The bottom line is, if I don' go do this then maybe she'll be in danger," Merle zipped up his bag roughly.

"From who? Seriously, you haven't told me shit," Carol whispered sharply.

Merle looked down at the ground and swallowed. "I saw Martinez a couple of nights ago.. He looked pissed."

"So? You two haven't liked each other for a long time, I don't see why that's something new to be scared about," Carol shrugged lightly.

"So, he was in jail before an' I jus' don't wanna risk it, okay?" Merle mumbled and set his bag on the floor.

"I don't see how you running away is going to better the situation at all. Besides, I told you he's changed. He isn't going to threaten you and he certainly isn't going to threaten me or Sophia," Carol stated adamantly.

Merle set his lips in a tight line and looked at Carol's face with narrowed eyes. "Ya poor, naive woman.. Ya never could face the reality of a situation, could ya."

"Maybe that's why I stayed with your cheating and emotionally abusive ass for so long," Carol said coldly.

"Let's not go down that road. We've fought enough 'bout it fer a lifetime," he rubbed his hand over his eyes. "I need ta git going. I have ta take care of a few things b'fore I leave town. I promise I'll be back, okay? I just need time."

"You're unbelievable.." Carol murmured. "What am I supposed to tell Sophia, huh?"

"Tell her that I had ta go on a business trip an' I'll be back," Merle shrugged, reaching into his pocket to pull out a wad of cash. "Here, this will be more than enough until I get back."

Carol stared at the money with conflict, slowly shaking her head. "I don't need it."

"It ain't jus' 'bout you, this is fer Sophia an' ya will take it b'cause ya do need it ta care fer her," Merle shoved the money into Carol's hand.

Carol glared but tucked away the cash into her purse. "Well, go say goodbye to your daughter and bring her out to the car after. I can't stay and watch her cry."

Merles text came at 8pm that night saying that he'd be there soon. Beth and Daryl had spent the rest of the day packing up Daryl's stuff, running it over to Beth's place and kissing and touching in between as much as they could.

Daryl stood with his packed bag at his feet and Beth in front of him. "R'member, this is jus' a 'see ya soon', not a goodbye," Daryl shook his head, cupping Beth's cheek as he murmured.

"I remember.." Beth mumbled back weakly.

Daryl pressed his forehead to Beth's rubbing their heads together affectionately while he spoke. "Ya know.. Yer a lot stronger than ya think ya are. Ya can handle this."

"I don't feel strong at all," Beth sniffed and closed her eyes, her lips finding Daryl's in a soft kiss. "But you, you're like the definition of strength. You've been through more than anyone I know, but you just endure it all," Beth looked at Daryl in awe. "I know you'll get through this next part a hell of a lot better than I will. I'll be a wreck and you'll just be dealing with it like a pro."

"Well, I am a pro," He smirked lightly but his eyes were tender. "It'll be hard fer me too, girl. But thinkin' o' all I'm fightin' fer is goin' ta make it worth it," Daryl sighed and rubbed his thumbs over Beth's cheeks.

"I love you.." Beth murmured against Daryl's lips as they brushed hers.

"I love ya more than I thought possible," Daryl said almost reverently and gave Beth a proper kiss on the lips, pecking her cheeks and forehead after and pulling her in for a tight hug.

"Text me later, please? I don't think I'll be able to sleep until you do," Beth rubbed her nose against Daryl's cheek, kissing it and squeezing Daryl against her in hopes of almost imprinting the feeling.

"Ya know I will," Daryl patted Beth's back with a sigh. "I gotta git goin'. Sure ya don' mind takin' my key ta the landlord?"

"I'll take care of it," Beth smiled sadly. "I'll see you soon."

"Yes, ya will. Sooner than ya think, I hope," Daryl looked at Beth and cupped her chin to give her one last kiss before heading out the door with his bag over his shoulder.

Beth watched him go and looked down at the metal key in her hand, realizing she now had the unpleasant task of explaining to the landlord that his tenant had to suddenly leave town.

Life wouldn't stop for Beth to be sad, and Beth had to get used to that.

Daryl sat in the front seat of Merle's car with his arms crossed, glaring out the window.

"Oh, stop actin' like a kid who didn' git his way," Merld rolled his eyes. "Yer better off not stickin' around and lettin' Priss fuck with yer head. She was nothin' but a lyin' piece of shit."

"Don't fuckin' talk about her to me," Daryl spoke through gritted teeth and took a deep breath. "Let's jus'.. Git through this with as little talkin' as possible."

"Ain't ya a fun road companion," He grumbled. "We're stoppin' overnight in a small town an' then we'll be on ta our destination, so why don' ya try ta be somewhat pleasant since we have ta deal with each other fer a while."

"I don' have any reason ta be nice to you, Merle," He responded firmly.

"No? How about, I got ya away from our ol' man an' got ya set up with a nice place in the city and-" Merle started.

"An' everythin' ya done ta fuck up my life has made us even. Ya helped me, I helped you an' ya jus' fucked me over. I don' owe ya shit, an' if ya weren't still threatenin' ta make my life hell with dad, I wouldn' be here right now," Daryl snarled.

"Look, ya don' understand what I have ta lose, kid. I got a daughter back home who counts on me and I can't let her down. If ya think yer the only one who knows what it's like ta leave someone ya care about, yer wrong," Merle said harshly.

"She don' even know the real you. If she knew this man then she'd want nothin' ta do with ya. Anyway, 'm done talkin', alright? Entertain yerself," Daryl put his hoodie over his head and slumped down in the seat, sticking his headphones in and wishing he'd charged his phone before they left. He wouldn't be able to text Beth until he could plug it in somewhere.

Merle gripped the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles turned white but kept his mouth shut. He needed Daryl's cooperation and so it was best to not poke the hornet's nest.

Beth was curled up on the couch with a bag of chips, a bottle of soda and various candy wrappers spread about. One could say she was eating her feelings.

"Dude, why didn't you invite us to the party?" Carl's voice came from the doorway as he and Maggie stepped into the apartment and saw Beth vegging out.

"Because it's a pretty pathetic one," Beth cracked a smile. "But you're welcome to join. I think I bought everything in the snack aisle at the store."

Maggie rubbed her hands together. "Now that's what I'm talking about," she jumped over the back of the couch and landed on the cushions less than gracefully, her hand immediately reaching into the chip bag.

Carl made his way over and sat in the arm chair, pulling Larry out of his pocket and setting him on his shoulder where the lizard promptly curled up for a snooze.

Beth watched the lizard warily while she took a sip of her coke, the carbonation burning in a satisfying way as it went down her throat.

"Have you heard from Daryl?" Maggie asked with her mouth full.

"Not yet," Beth pursed her lips. "I'm sure I will later," she shrugged, not really wanting to think about it much.

"Let's just be grateful that the scary dude is out of town," Carl propped his feet up on the table and nodded.

"Yeah, but he's with Daryl." Beth shook her head.

"Daryl is a tough guy and has known Merle literally his whole life," Maggie picked a chip crumb off her shirt and ate it. "You know he'll be okay."

"What about the random people he's gonna have to fight?" Beth closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I have no clue if he'll be okay."

"Alright, alright, calm your little A cup tits," Maggie patted her shoulder. "There's no use freaking out about it when you're just sitting here and doing nothing."

"I have no other choice, Mags," Beth whispered hopelessly.

"Actually, yeah you do. You can not let your life fall apart and focus on school and be the Beth that we all love to be annoyed by with her smartypants ways. Seriously, do you want Daryl to come back to a loser that's eating all the things and watching reruns of Dawson's Creek?" Maggie raised her eyebrows high.

"Hey.. I didn't know you saw me change the channel from that," Beth blushed.

"Dude, we all know you love that show," Carl chuckled. "When you drink you tend to make references about it."

Beth rolled her lips in and threw a chip at Carl which Larry quickly woke up to catch with his tongue. Beth watched with wide eyes while Larry chomped on it and then fell back asleep. "What the.."

"He loves chips, man," Carl shrugged with a laugh.

"Seriously though, not gonna watch you crumble because of this. Go back to your life and when Daryl is here again, he can work his way into it instead of the other way around," Maggie brushed her pants off and burped loudly.

Beth wrinkled her noise. "Can't believe I'm taking advice from someone as gross as you."

"Can't believe you like to watch teen romantic dramas," Maggie countered with a glare.

"You guys need to relax," Carl grinned and pulled out a joint from his pocket, holding it up. "Any takers?"

Beth looked and Carl and shook her head. "I'm going to take a nap." She strutted upstairs.

Carl gave Maggie a sly grin. "Why the hell not."

Daryl was getting settled in his seedy hotel room that they'd gotten for the night. He had paid for his own room because he didn't want to deplete Merle's resources anymore than he had to. The less money Merle had, the longer Daryl would have to stay out with him. This meant that he had to deal with moth-eaten curtains and a dusty comforter on the bed, but he had seen way worse.

There was a knock on the door and Daryl grumbled as he went over to answer it. "What?" he looked at Merle who was standing on the other side of the door.

"I.." Merle gulped and honestly looked terrified.

"What is it?" Daryl furrowed his brows, pushing the door open more so Merle could step in.

Merle walked past him and started pacing. Daryl sat on the edge of the bed with a worried expression; he had never seen his brother like this before.

"I jus' got a call from Sophia's mom.." Merle finally spoke in a numb voice. "Apparently Martinez found her an' Sophia an' is threatenin' them if I don' show up with cash. That fuckin' asshole."

"Wait.. How would Martinez even know where they are?" Daryl asked in confusion.

"Brother.." Merle sighed in frustration. "Obviously Carol is the mother."

"Ya said she wasn't." Daryl argues and shook his head.

"I said fer ya ta mind yer own damn business," Merle growled. "Carol kept in contact with Martinez while he was in jail an' she was all stars in her eyes fer him 'gain b'cause she said he'd changed. Turns out he's the same insufferable piece o' shit." Merle sat on the other double bed, putting his face in his hand.

Daryl listened and nodded slightly while he processed the information. "So.. He wants money. Well, that's what we're doin', we're gettin' money."

"Except he wants it in the next few days, idiot," Merle spat. "Ya know he was never a patient man."

"That's impossible," Daryl shook his head. "We can' jus' come up with money overnight. We need time."

"We don' have time. We gotta do somethin' drastic, I just ain't got a fuckin' clue what...Carol said he's threatenin' ta take Sophia away since it should have been his daughter," Merle huffed and stood up again, walking over to the window and staring out with his arms crossed over his chest.

Daryl bit his lower lip, staring at a random stain on the carpet while he let several ideas run through his head. "I think.. I think I might have a plan, but ya a'int gonna like it," Daryl looked up at Merle.

Merle turned to face Daryl, shaking his head helplessly. "I don' care, I'll do anythin'."

Beth yawned wide as she woke up to her phone vibrating. She peeked an eye open at the screen. It was from Daryl.

She ran downstairs and plopped on the couch next to her sister and Carl. "Daryl is okay, guys!" Beth proclaimed before even reading the text. Carl laughed happily and Maggie continued to eat her sandwich but had a smile on her face.

Beth had to work really hard to focus her still sleepy eyes on the screen and when she read the words, she didn't understand them.

We have a new plan. You won't believe it, Beth.

"A plan for what?" Beth murmured out loud and then her eyes widened in realization. "Holy shit, a plan!" She hopped up abruptly.

What's the plan? Beth typed out.

Can I call you? Daryl replied and Beth excused herself to her room where she quickly went to the bathroom to splash her face with water in an effort to wake up. She patted her face with a towel and texted Daryl back a yes.

Beth gulped down some water and was feeling more awake when the phone rang. She answered in a quiet voice. "Hey you."

"Hey," Beth could hear the smile in Daryl's tone. "God, it's good ta hear ya."

"It's good to hear you too. I was so worried," Beth admitted and sat down on her bed in relief.

"My phone was dead an' I was stuck in the car with Merle fer hours.. It was hell an' I jus' wanted ta be there with ya," Daryl sighed out and Beth's heart picked up its pace.

"I wish you were here too. Well, not here right now because my friends are totally stoned," Beth laughed softly.

"Did ya smoke, too?" Daryl asked in amusement.

"No, gross," Beth sighed before changing the subject. "What is this plan that I won't believe?"

Daryl launched into the explanation of how Martinez was threatening Carol and Sophia and how he wanted money as soon as possible.

"But.. You can't just get that kind of money from one fight, and that's about all you'll have time for if he wants the money that soon.." Beth bit at her lower lip with worry.

"Exactly.. So, I came up with a plan that will get us enough money an' that will make Martinez be okay with waitin' a bit while we work out the details an' prepare, 'cause this is somethin' that he will want ta see," Daryl informed in a low voice.

"That's great.. What is it?" Beth asked curiously.

"Merle an' I are gonna fight."


	25. Lies

**You guys never cease to amaze me :) I love you all! Thank you!**

_"Merle an' I are gonna fight."_

"HA! The fuck you are!" Beth shook her head and blinked her eyes a few times in disbelief.

"Beth.." Daryl sighed. "It's the only way ta stop Martinez from threatenin' Merle an' ta git the money fast."

"He fucking deserves to be threatened!" Beth raised her voice and then quickly lowered it when she remembered her friends out in the living room. "No, you don't need to fight him. That's stupid."

"Yeah, he does, but his daughter an' her mother don', " Daryl corrected wistfully. "I have ta do this, Beth."

"I know, you're right.." Beth murmured. "I just.. Hell, have you ever fought him before?" Beth chewed her lower lip.

"We're brothers, darlin'. It was inevitable."

"Well.. Aren't you scared about what he's going to do? He might stab you with that ridiculous prosthetic he has!" Beth gulped.

"He wouldn' do that." Daryl assured her lightly.

"Well...if Martinez is there watching' then Merle is going to fight as hard as possible to try to look tough.." Beth worried and rubbed the back of her neck.

"That's why I'll have ta jus' as hard back at him," He said simply. "'m kind o' excited 'bout it in a sick way.. I been waitin' ta kick his ass fer so long."

Beth smirked wryly. "Yeah.. I know that feeling well. Maybe you can kick his ass for me too?" Betb asked, feeling herself submit to Daryl's plan and knowing there was no other way.

"'m doin' this fer us, Beth," Daryl said quietly. "As soon as this is over, I come home."

"You mean Merle said he'll let you go?" Beth asked hopefully.

"No.. But how could he not? He'll have his fuckin' money an' Merle will be off his back."

Beth hated the pessimistic thoughts that were going through her head, but this was Merle they were talking about and nothing ever worked to their favor when it came to her. "Are you sure, though? He'll be out of money and wanting to make more.."

"I thought o' that.. 'M jus' goin' ta have ta figure it out. I don' want ta think 'bout it right now, please," Daryl mumbled.

"I'm sorry.. You know how much I worry," Beth sighed loudly.

"I know baby, but ya don' have to. I have it under control," Daryl replied in a tired voice.

Beth blushed and asked slowly, "Did you just call me baby?"

Daryl was quiet for a moment before he said, "Shut up."

Beth laughed softly and shook her head. "No way, you called me baby."

"I didn' fuckin' mean ta," Daryl grumbled.

"I liked it.." Beth blushed harder and was grateful that he couldn't see.

"Ya did?" Daryl breathed out.

"Yeah.. I did," Beth bit her bottom lip and put her hand briefly over her eyes in embarrassment.

When Daryl spoke there was a smile in his voice, "I was afraid it might be too girly."

"I am a girl," Beth chuckled and shrugged a shoulder.

"Ya don' fight like a girl," Daryl responded.

"That's true. If I did then my moves would consist of slapping, pulling hair and scratching," Beth shuddered.

"Thank God ya don' fight like a girl, then," Daryl winced. "Wouldn' want ya pulling too hard on my hair...it's gettin' long."

"I bet you wouldn't want me pulling on your hair at all," Beth added.

"Well.." Now it was Daryl's turn to blush. He cleared his throat before speaking quietly into the phone. "I wouldn't mind if ya did it a little bit.."

Beth wasn't catching Daryl's drift. "Why would you want me to pull your hair?" She furrowed her brow.

"Yer fuckin' slow, girl," Daryl sighed. "I meant ya could pull on my hair a little while we fuck."

"Oh... Oh," Beth rolled her lips in and put her palm to her face. "God, I uh.." She exhaled shakily before asking meekly, "you like that?"

"Ya'd be surprised as ta what 'm into when it comes ta sex," Daryl replied in a low voice that went straight to Beth's center.

"I think there's a lot of things I don't know about you, Daryl," Beth laid down on the bed on her back, resting her hand on her stomach. "When you picture me tugging on your hair, what position are we in?" Beth's voice was quiet and smooth.

Daryl's breath on the other end of the line was evident and he spoke huskily. "I have ya up against the wall.. With yer legs wrapped 'round my waist an' yer arms 'round my neck.."

Beth closed her eyes and made a little noise in her throat. "And I'm holding onto your hair while you pound into me?"

"Fuck.." Daryl groaned. "Yeah, jus' like that."

Beth wet her lips and slid her hand under the bottom of her shirt, walking her fingers along her bare stomach. "You know...I love it when you play with my nipples...I get so wet."

"Holy shit, Beth," Daryl said shakily. "What are ya tryin' ta do ta me..?"

"Are you hard?" Beth asked in a low voice, sliding her hand down over her clothed pussy.

"'M so fuckin' hard," Daryl said after a moment filled with only his heavy breathing.

"Are you.. Touching it?" Beth rubbed her lips together as she massaged her clit and moaned quietly.

"Will ya think 'm a total pervert if I say yes?" Daryl asked weakly.

"Yeah," Beth replied. "But I like that," Beth smiled faintly, undoing her pants while her body buzzed at the sound of Daryl's turned on voice.

"I wish ya were here.." He moaned into the phone. "My hand won' ever feel as good as ya."

Beth's eyes rolled back in pleasure at that, her hand stroking over her lips slowly. "I'm so wet..."

"God, really?" Daryl groaned loudly. "Hell.. I love bein' inside o' ya. So tight an' warm.."

Beth took a deep and shaky breath, her hand working faster in her vagina. "I love how full I feel with you inside.. You've got a big cock, Daryl," Beth laughed breathlessly at the frankness of her comment.

"Fuck, Beth. I love the way ya suck my cock.." Daryl murmured. "Yer mouth is perfect fer it.. So warm an' wet an' soft.."

"You forgot big," Beth smirked and resumed her hand's movement. "You know I've got a big mouth.

"In more ways than one, ya," Daryl chuckled and it tiered off into a moan.

"Tell me what you're doing right now.." Beth closed her eyes and shuddered.

"Ya know what 'm doin', girl," Daryl said gruffly, the sound of him licking his lips coming over the phone.

"I mean.. Details, come on. Please?" Beth asked in a lustful voice.

"God.. 'm.. 'm strokin' my dick, Beth," He admitted lowly.

"Is it getting wet?" Beth questioned further, her own desire taking the place of any shame about her bluntness.

"Ya.." Daryl cleared his throat. "It's been wet since I started."

"Fuck," Beth puffed her cheeks. "I wish I could lick it."

"I wish ya could, too. Shit," Daryl breathed loudly.

Beth fucked herself with fervor and moaned freely into the phone, her cheeks flushing with pleasure. Daryl's groans and growls were enough alone to make Beth come, but she prolonged the sensation as long as she could, enjoying the swirling in her stomach and the warm feeling that spread.

"'m so close," Daryl's voice was pure sex and Beth couldn't hold off any longer.

"Me too, I need to come.." Beth admitted in a gravelly voice.

"Come fer me," Daryl urged desperately, his voice cutting off with a rough moan, followed by a few grunts as he came.

Beth lifted her hips and released hard in long spurts, her hand a flurry of movement over her center "Fuck, fuck.. Daryl!" She groaned and moved her head from side to side on her pillow while the last few drops left her.

For several minutes, they just laid there and listened to each other's breathing while they tried to calm it down. Beth had a stupid smile on her face while she cleaned herself up and turned on her side to curl up on the bed.

"That was.." Beth started.

"Good," Daryl finished. "I needed that so bad after this stressful as hell night."

"I haven't exactly had a stressful night, but that was amazing," Beth laughed lightly. "I didn't expect to go from talking about something so serious to having phone sex."

"Ya, me neither," Daryl chuckled and then whispered, "hang on on a sec." Beth heard him put down the phone and yell, "what do ya want?"

Beth yawned and twitched her nose, a calm spreading over her and sleep getting ready to claim her.

"Beth?" Daryl asked in an annoyed tone after a few seconds.

"Hm?" Beth mumbled.

"'m sorry, Merle is here ta ruin my mood. He wants ta go over plans b'cause he can' sleep, apparently," Daryl huffed. "'m sorry I have ta run after all this."

"Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do," Beth yawned and smacked her lips.

Daryl laughed fondly. "Ya sound like yer 'bout ta pass out, anyway. I guess ya came pretty hard, huh," Daryl hummed in approval and then yelled to the door again, "I'll fuckin' be there in a second!"

"Super hard.." Beth murmured sleepily. "Hey, I love you."

"I love ya, too. Sleep well an' I'll talk ta ya tomorrow," Daryl sighed.

"You too.. I can't wait. Goodnight," Beth puckered her lips at the phone while she started to drift off.

"Sweet dreams.." Daryl whispered and hung up the phone.

Beth rubbed her eyes while she clumsily made her morning coffee. Her head felt fuzzy from the night before and she was worried as hell for Daryl, but also happy. She felt happy.

"You've gotta tell me your tricks," Maggie appeared with a bagel in hand. "I feel like I've tried them all," Maggie hopped onto the counter and took a bite of her food.

"Huh?" Beth looked puzzled and poured the coffee into herto-go cup.

"I mean, we heard you going to town on yourself last night. You've gotta be doing something pretty fucking incredible to moan like that," Maggie smirked while she chewed.

"What.." Beth blinked and then widened her eyes in realization, her hand going to her forehead. "Oh God, I totally.. I totally forgot you two could hear me," Beth blushed hard. "I wasn't.. I mean, I was, but.."

"But what? Come on, don't get all stingy with the details. I've told you all of my sex tips," Maggie said pointedly.

"Maggie, I hardly think 'check if the carpet matches the drapes' is a sex tip," Beth rolled her eyes and blew on her coffee.

Maggie scoffed. "Anyway, you're changing the subject," She poked Beth on the shoulder. "What did you do?"

Beth bit her bottom lip as a smile spread, shaking her head and letting out a resigned sigh. "Daryl called, that's all."

It took only seconds for Maggie to put the pieces together; she was surprisingly quick when it came to sexual puzzles. "Dirty!" Maggie chuckled. "You had phone sex with a criminal on the run."

"Don't call him that," Beth punched her sister lightly in the shoulder.

"Come on, you know that makes it more exciting," She winked and took a huge bite of bagel, talking with her mouth full. "What's going on with him anyway?"

"Oh.. You know, another obstacle. That Martinez guy wants money right away and so Daryl had to improvise a plan. I don't like it at all," Beth shook her head.

"You know he can handle himself, whatever it is. What's the plan?" She munched and questioned.

"That he and Merle are going to fight," Beth sighed.

"Oh, he's fucked," Maggie shrugged.

"Hey," Beth swatted her again and her roommate laughed.

"I'm kidding! Seriously, Beth. He should feel lucky to get the opportunity to kick that jerk's ass. I mean, I'd love to get in on that."

"I think we all would," Beth yawned and glanced at the clock. "I've gotta get to class. I'll tell you more details once I find them out," Beth grabbed her bag and walked to the door.

"Sounds good. But really, do you do something special with your finger when you-" Maggie started and Beth quickly left and shut the door before she could finish that question.

Merle had a constant look of worry on his face and that wasn't something Daryl was used to seeing. His boss had always been cocky and collected and rarely showed a trace of fear. Daryl could see how vulnerable he was and it honestly gave him some sort of pleasure to see him like that after all Merle had put him and Beth through.

"I need ta make some calls 'bout venues.." Merle mumbled to himself while he jotted down notes on a piece of coffee-stained paper. "An' we need ta git on the road."

"How far are we goin'?" Daryl stretched his arms above his head.

"'bout four hours north.. I need ta make sure Martinez don' know where we are while we git ready fer this," Merle leaned back into his chair tiredly, clearly not having slept a wink.

"Alright," Daryl shrugged and pursed his lips, reminding himself that this was almost over. "Oh yeah, I was gonna ask, how are we goin' ta inform Martinez 'bout the fight an' the new deal?"

Merle glared up at his brother. "Did ya take Priss' role in askin' a million questions? Fuck, ya don' shut up. Leech is goin' ta tell him 'bout it all an' ta see if he'll hang tight while we figure out logistics. Happy?"

"Hardly," Daryl said dryly and peeked over Merle's notes, noticing some that were completely unrelated to the fight with Daryl and the plans for Martinez.

Merle caught him looking and sighed. "I'm jus' plannin' ahead fer after the fight. I'll be totally broke an' I'm thinkin' up a few opponents ya could go against that'd get us a decent amount o' cash."

"Wait.. No," Daryl immediately said. "After this, 'm done."

Merle laughed. "Yeah, right. I'll need ya more than ever."

"I ain't doin' a single fuckin' thing more fer ya after this," Daryl emphasized. "I don' care what ya say er threaten me with."

"Oh, is that so? Well, all it takes is a phone call an' dad will know the exact time an' location o' our fight. Which means after it's over, he'll be there ta haul yer ass ta jail," Merle tapped his fingers against the metal nub on his other hand and looked up at Daryl. "So, I think ya find yerself cooperatin' with me after all."

Daryl's nostrils flared in anger and his fist clenched and shook. He wanted so badly to punch Merle and not stop and if it lead to his death then so be it. He took a deep breath and reminded himself about the innocent little girl, that much to his dismay, was relying on the scourge of the earth that sat in front of him. If Merle died now, Martinez would do who knows what to the girl. Daryl would have to save it. He would save the anger and pain and take it all out on his brother during the fight.

Merle watched Daryl's fist relax with a smirk. "Such a pussy. Why don' ya make yerself useful an' go git me a muffin from downstairs."

Daryl swung back and punched the wall right next to Merle's head, causing a sizable dent and making Merle cringe and shrink to the side, his mouth dropped open. "Go git yer own fuckin' muffin, ya piece o' shit," Daryl spat and stormed out of the room.

"Yer payin' fer that damage!" Merle yelled after him.

"Fuck you!" Daryl replied and slammed the door, hurrying to his own room and barely making it inside before he was overcome by sobs. He fell to his knees and held his face in his hands, rocking back and forth while angry and hopeless tears poured down his face.

"What the fuck am I going ta do?" Daryl murmured to himself helplessly and sat against the wall, sniffing hard.

Beth hadn't heard from Daryl all day but she wasn't too worried; she knew that Daryl was really busy and probably just trying to deal with the new stressful development of his fight with Merle.

"Hey, haven't seen you work in here for a while," Dr. Morris popped his head in the door of the little student office adjacent to his own office.

Beth looked over her shoulder at him with a smile. "I've mostly been working on my stuff at home but I thought I'd come here to focus better. I think I'm finally getting to a closing point." It shocked Beth to say that because she never thought she'd be able to keep up with all of her school work amidst the insanity that had become her life. But it turned out that working on it little by little had paid off.

"I can't wait to read what you've got!" Morris rubbed his hands together and walked over to pat Beth on the shoulder. "It's been a long road to get here, hasn't it?"

"You have no idea," Beth sighed and gave a tired smile up at her professor. "Thank you for all of your help and support. I honestly couldn't have done it without you."

"Yes, you could have," Morris smiled warmly. "It's late, why don't you head on home. If you want I can start proofreading what you have here."

"Really?" Beth flashed a wide and grateful grin. "That'd be great," she saved her work to her USB and left a copy of her document open on the computer. "Feel free to suggest any changes," Beth yawned and stood up, reaching for her denim jacket and shrugging it on.

"Will do. Get some rest, Beth. I remember always being tired too when I was working on my thesis, it'll all get better," Morris sat down in the seat and waved over his shoulder.

"I hope it'll get better," Beth mumbled to herself and bid Morris farewell.

Beth walked home slowly, enjoying the fresh air and the cool breeze that helped clear her head. She checked her phone for the hundredth time and sent Daryl another text to ask him if all was okay. Beth didn't want to be the type to be clingy and worried all the time, but she couldn't help but assume that role with Daryl. She was just rounding a corner when she spotted a familiar face.

Merle's daughter was sitting on a stoop and eating ice cream, a big smile on her face as she leaned against a pretty woman. Beth kept herself concealed while she observed who was obviously Carol and the girl together, her heart tugging at the sad thought of what they were going through with Martinez.

Just as Beth thought of the man, he appeared out of the door and walked down the steps to sit on the other side of the girl, his arm going around her and his lips kissing the woman's cheek.

Beth opened her mouth in shock and put her hand over it. She watched the way Martinez and Carol interacted with such lightheartedness and how Sophia ate her treat without a care in the world. This was not a man that was threatening them, there was no way.

"Sophia, why don't you go upstairs and brush your teeth?" Carol smiled at her daughter and kissed her head, watching Sophia skip up the stairs. Carol cupped Martinez's cheek and kissed his lips, looking like she'd done it a thousand times.

"It's all almost over," Martinez spoke to her and Beth inched a little closer to hear.

"I still can't believe he fell for it," Carol laughed with relief. "I knew he was an idiot but I didn't think he was so gullible. I mean, all this time he thought he was hiding what he really does from me when I've always known his dirty business."

"He underestimates you continually, that's why he never deserved you," He added. "He's going to get what he deserves now. He'll be broke and left without you and Sophia. He'll have nothing."

"I'm just.. So happy that everything worked out like we've been planning for years. Maybe I should become an actress," she giggled and Martinez grinned, showing his mismatched teeth.

"You can do whatever you want. With the money from Merle we'll have a chance to start again. Far away from here," He rested his chin on top of Carols head.

Beth couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't even begin to comprehend how twisted this was all turning out to be. Merle thought and he was fighting for Sophia. when all the while she wasn't in any danger. Martinez and Carol were both playing Merle to get money from him.

"I'm thinking about telling him the truth about Sophia right before we make our leave. You know, to give him a final kick in the balls," Carol beamed. "All this time he's thought she was his daughter; his pride and joy. He truly has no idea that she's really yours."

He smirked at that. "That will be the final blow to ruin Merle completely. It's brilliant. His boy Leech called me earlier and told me how he's planning to come up with the money. He's going to fight Dixon.. I hope he gets his ass kicked completely and I'm sorry I can't be the one to do it."

"Ooooh, Merle treated Dixom horribly back in the day. I'm sure he'll want his revenge. Are you gonna watch?" Carol raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't miss that for the fucking world," He chuckled evilly and stood up, taking Carols hand and walking inside with her.

Beth stood there in complete shock. She had to tell Daryl.

Daryl looked at his phone as Beth called him for the third time in the row, his heart sinking further in his chest. He didn't know how he was going to tell Beth the truth about what was going to happen to him after the fight. He wasn't ready to admit that he would still be Merle's slave and he had no idea when he'd be able to come back to Beth.

He and Merle had made it to their destination, which consisted of an old house with a big tin garage, which was where Merle had set up a make-shift gym. Daryl didn't even wanna know how Merle found this place or who he had to blackmail to get to use it.

Daryl sat on the dusty bed in the room he was staying in and smoked a cigarette, watching the smoke drift out the open window and dissipate in the crisp air. He glanced at his phone again as a text message came through from Beth: Daryl, seriously. PLEASE call me. I have to tell you what I heard. It changes everything.

Daryl chewed at his lips and furrowed his brows. He couldn't avoid this forever and he knew he was being an asshole for ignoring Beth and making her worry. With a long sigh, he clicked Beth's number and put the phone to his ear while he sucked in another drag.

Beth answered quickly, "Daryl, thank God! I was fucking worried."

"Sorry," Daryl mumbled. "It was a shitty day. What's up?"

"Wait.. What's wrong?" Beth paused.

"Nothin' ya need ta worry 'bout right now," He said truthfully. "Now, what did ya need ta tell me? Sounds important."

"Just... I can hardly believe it myself.." Beth took a deep breath before starting. "I was walking home from campus and I overheard a conversation between some people you know.." Beth repeated everything she had heard to Daryl and Daryl sat there, his mouth gradually dropping wider open and his cigarette burning down with him noticing, creating a pillar of ash.

"I.." He blinked fast and shook his head. "I can' fuckin' believe it," Daryl murmured and stubbed his cigarette out the windowsill. "Carol made all o' that shit up ta git money from Merle fer her an' Martinez's new life together?"

"Yes!" Beth said adamantly. "She is using her daughter, who isn't even Merle's daughter, to get money so they can run away together," Beth said shakily. "I'm like buzzing from the shock of it. I didn't know people like that really existed.. What the hell is this world?"

"Unfortunately I seen things like this happen b'fore, but I swear I never in a million years saw this comin'.. Fuck. So Merle an' I are fightin' fer a lie, 'm here b'cause o' a lie an' b'cause o' Carol and Martinez's greed," Daryl frustration flared with every word.

"Well, and Merle's greed. Basically, you're there because of the mistakes and selfishness of people.. Daryl, you have to tell Merle. When he finds out the truth he's not going to make you go through this fight. And he can no longer use the excuse of needing you to make money to take care of his daughter.. I think after he finds this out, he's going to want to leave and get away from it all," Beth rambled on in a fast voice.

Daryl rubbed his temples and wet his dry lips, still trying to let all of this process. "Ya.. Ya, I gotta tell him. Shit, he's goin' ta be be so angry.. Murderous, even. Maybe I should wait until mornin' so it's light out an' I can run if I have ta." Daryl thought out loud.

"That's not a bad idea.. I didn't even think about how he might react. He's so volatile and unpredictable that I almost don't want you to tell him.." Beth started to worry.

"Hey, we know I have ta tell him. Otherwise 'm goin' ta have ta go through with this whole charade an' as much as I want ta beat Merle up, I don' want ta do it under these circumstances," He mumbled. "I feel exhausted."

"You have every right to be exhausted," Beth spoke in a gentle voice. "I really think this is your way out, Daryl. You're almost through it.."

"'m so fuckin' sick o' bein' used," Daryl said weakly. "It's like everyone wants somethin' from me an' I feel like I ain't got nothin' left ta give.. 'm tired o' bein' controlled by Merle an' my fuckin' dad. Hell, I haven' seen my dad in almost a year an' he still runs my life."

Beth stayed quiet and listened to Daryl and Daryl was thankful that Bethbwas able to keep her urge to talk and talk at a standstill. "Thank ya fer tellin' me all this, though. I think ya honestly jus' saved me."

"What do you mean?" Beth murmured after a moment.

"I didn' know how I was gonna tell ya.. But earlier Merle was plannin' fights fer me after this one ta earn back all the money he was goin' ta lose ta Martinez. When I told him I wouldn' participate, he told me that he'd tell dad where the fight was gonna be, so he could come an' take me away," Daryl sucked his lower lip into his mouth.

"Things like this are exactly why I feel no sadness for Merle and what these people are doing to him," Beth said tightly.

"It's like.. He knew I couldn' do shit. He knew I had ta fight an' that we couldn' jus' change the location at the last minute once it's decided. I hate that he knows how ta git ta me," Daryl closed his eyes tight.

"But hey, he can't get to you anymore. Not after this, I promise.. None of what he said applies anymore. You're going to be just as free as me and all of this will be behind you. You'll never have to see Merle or your dad again," Beth comforted him in a soft voice.

"I guess it's jus' hard ta see the light at the end o' the tunnel when I keep gettin' rocks dropped in my way that block it out," Daryl sighed slowly. "Yer the one good thing in my life, Beth. Do ya know that?"

"I'm not going anywhere, and I'll help you break those rocks down streetfighter style. But you know, like the video game, not like your profession," Beth chuckled and a smile spread over Daryl's lips.

"Oh yeah! They kicked down brick walls an' beat the shit out o' cars with their kicks an' punches.." Daryl reminisced in amusement. "God 'm old."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, completely unrealistic but hey.." Beth laughed. "We'll do that together. I have no doubt that we're strong enough to."

For the first time the whole day, Daryl felt some peace. "Thank ya fer yer dorky way o' cheerin' me up."

"Thank you for letting me be the one to cheer you up," Beth added softly and was unable to hold back a yawn.

"I should let ya sleep.. I didn' even ask ya how yer day was," Daryl muttered. "'m a bad boyfriend, ain't I?"

"Are you officially calling yourself my boyfriend?" Beth asked humbly.

"Yeah, I think I am," Daryl surprised himself by saying.

"Then I'd say my day was and is pretty great," Beth grinned against the phone.

At some point Daryl had managed to drift off but was awoken by the cold air that was coming in through the window he'd incidentally left open. He stood up and stretched with a big yawn, feeling like he'd had no sleep even though several hours had passed according to his watch.

He shut the window and glanced through the glass with weary eyes at the light that was coming from the garage. Merle apparently hadn't slept again and was out there working out. Daryl stood and pondered what he should do. If he were in Merle's shoes, even though he knew he never would be because he'd never be such a tyrant, he would want to know this kind of information as soon as possible. No matter how long Daryl waited, Merle would be just as mad.

Daryl grabbed his jacked and slipped his shoes on. He wouldn't be able to go back to sleep anyway, so he might as well just go and tell Merle and hope that he wouldn't shoot the messenger.

He lifted his hand to knock on the door of the building once he'd reached it but paused when he heard Merle talking on the phone in an annoyed voice. Daryl put his ear to the door and listened instead.

"He wants how much?" Merle growled and Daryl could hear his furious pacing steps. "That mother fucker.. I should have known he'd take me fer all I got an' more. Why didn' ya try ta talk him down from that amount, Leech?"

Daryl creased his brows, curious about how much money that Martinez bastard had asked for.

"Shit.." Merle spat and Daryl jumped when Merle punched the inside of the tin wall and made the structure shake. "We'll be lucky if we scrape up that much money.. Dixon is goin' ta have ta fight twice as much an' ya an' Knox will need ta do some too in order ta earn that back."

Anger flared in Daryl again but he was able to keep it cool because he knew that none of this was going to go down as Merle expected it to.

"You an' Knox are pretty worthless though, let's be honest. Dixom is the only real chance I got, an' the only reason why he's stuck around so long is b'cause he's terrified o' our dad," Merle scoffed. "It's by the grace o' God that he hasn' found out yet that dad has been dead fer two months. I gotta keep this up as long as I can manage. Luckily he never wants contact with the guy again, so I think I can pull it off fer a long time."

Daryl was frozen in place and the only thing keeping him there was the sudden merging of rage, shock and disbelief inside of his body. He didn't even blink; he couldn't move. Of everything he'd been through, of all the betrayals.. Nothing could compare to this.

"Well, keep yer mouth shut 'bout all o' this and help me finalize the venue. It has ta go off without a hitch an' I need ta come out victorious so I don' look like a fool in front of Martinez. Let me know what ya find out 'bout the safe amount o' muscle relaxants I can slip into Dixon's drink b'fore the fight ta make him fuck up," Merle spoke as if he was asking an innocent favor and hung up the phone.

Daryl had never experienced so much anger in his life. He thought he'd felt it all when he beat his father off of his mother and defended himself from the nightly drunken beatings he'd dealt with while he was growing up. But this.. This was the kind of betrayal that he couldn't find a comparison for and he wasn't ready to face the facts of just how badly he'd been burned.

He knew if he stayed in that spot much longer, Merle would come out and Daryl didn't know if he could stop himself from killing the man. Not that he'd feel any remorse at that point.

He turned on his feet and ran back to the house, a cold sweat breaking out as he reached the shitty bedroom once again. He shut the door and leaned against it, still feeling the dull throb of pure rage bubbling up in him.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Daryl put his hands to both sides of his head. His dad was dead. His dad was dead, and he had been for months. Merle knew it and was lying to Daryl to keep using him, because he knew as soon as their dad was out of the picture, Merle would lose Daryl v

He closed his eyes tight and thought of his options. One, he could go back down there and kill Merle, bury the body and get the fuck out of there. Not like anyone would miss him. Two, he could confront Merle and beat him up, tell him the truth about Martinez and Carol and leave him in the dust to deal with it all himself.

But the part of him that was quickly becoming dominant wanted revenge and he would block out the rest until that was achieved- then he'd deal with the damaged pieces of himself. He'd come too far to commit a serious crime like murder or to let Merle get off easy.

Daryl would make sure Merle was left with nothing and would have to suffer every single moment of the karma that was coming for him. Daryl finally had a legitimate way out, and he wasn't going to let anything get in the way of that.

He felt so broken as he laid on the bed and he didn't think he'd ever felt worse than he did in that moment. He pulled out his phone and selected Beth's name, knowing it was 4am but needing desperately to talk to her.

"Hello?" came Beth's groggy voice.

"Beth..." Daryl mumbled shakily.

"What's wrong?" She spoke with concern.

"I need ya.." He whispered.

"Hey, what happened?" Beth pressed gently.

"Everythin'.." Daryl closed his eyes and put his arm over his face. "Can ya do somethin' fer me?"

"Yeah, anything.. Daryl, what's going on?" Beth replied, worried.

"I.. I need ya ta search fer somethin' online fer me. I don' have internet here," Daryl muttered faintly.

"Let me get on my computer, hang on," Beth said without another question and Daryl listened to the rustle of bedsheets and her computer booting up. "Okay, what is it?"

"My dad's obituary.." Daryl gritted out.

"What..?" Beth asked, dumbfounded. "Daryl, when did he die? What happened?"

"Please, don' ask more questions yet," Daryl begged. "Jus' look it up an' read it ta me?"

Beth swallowed audibly and typed her inquiry. She took a shaky breath and started to read, "Joseph Dixon passed away this morning at the age of 66 after suffering a stroke. He is said to be survived by his two sons Daryl Dixon and Merle Dixon but we were unable to locate them. Joseph will be cremated and his ashes will be given to a friend until his sons can be found..." Beth trailed off and gasped. "Daryl, this is dated like two months ago.. Oh my God."

"He would have hated that my name was in his obituary. He always hated the name Daryl," He mumbled and Beth listened, even though Daryl knew he wanted to ask questions. "See, my grandpa's name was Daryl an' my mom named me after him b'cause she loved her dad so much. O'course, grandpa hated Joe b'cause he saw how badly his little girl was treated. Joe never got Grandpa Daryl's blessin', an' I think that's part o' the reason Joe hated me from day one.. B'cause I shared a name with a man he couldn' stand."

"I remember when I first met you.. You mentioned that you didn't like your name.." Beth said with slow realization.

"How could I like it when it was fuel fer my dad's hatred toward me? It's why I accepted 'Dixon'' so readily.. But now, ain't none o' that matters," He sighed loudly. "I hated that man.. He made my life hell an' ruined my mother's an' I can't lie an' say that I'll miss him, but he was still my dad. It feels weird bein' the only good piece o' my parents that's left.. It's unsettlin'."

"I can only imagine.. You have every reason to feel that way," Betn said quietly.

"I'm sure he was alone when it happened an' the stroke came from years an' years o' anger an'high blood pressure along with it. I guess it's sort of ironic.. His anger drove my mother ta lethal drugs that killed her an' then his anger killed him," Daryl pursed his lips.

"How did you find out about your dad?" Beth voiced hesitantly.

"Merle knew. I overheard him on the phone. He's known since it happened an' he's been usin' me an' lyin'," Daryl said numbly.

"I.. I can't believe he'd stoop so fucking low.. I knew he was awful but I didn't know he was capable of this. Where are you? I'm coming there to kick his ass!" Beth yelled and Daryl heard her bump into stuff and murmur, 'ouch'.

"Hey, hey.. Calm down. There's only one way ta handle this so that Merle gits everythin' he deserves an' I get away from this once an' fer all, Beth. Nothin' else will ever be able ta hold me back," He said with almost relief.

"You could just leave right now, Daryl. He can't stop you anymore," Beth urged. "Please, come home."

"I could leave right now, yer right. But then Merle would be off the hook. Instead, 'm goin' through with the original plan ta fight him," Daryl nodded and took a deep breath.

"Why would you put yourself through that?" Beth asked in confusion.

"B'cause, if I fight him then not only will I be able ta fill this urge ta beat him up but I will also leave him with no money an' he will find out that Sophia ain't his. He'll have nothin' left. No dignity, no cash an' no family. I'll be left with no family an' no cash too, but at least I'll have my dignity. I can' jus' walk away from this now. Not after everythin'."

After a few reflective moments, Beth sighed. "You're right. I never thought I'd agree with something like this, but you're right. I support you 100% and I'll be there next to you for Merle's downfall. But how are you going to act like you don't know about this around him?"

"I'll jus' have ta, Beth. I know it's goin' ta be worth it in the end, so I can hold it together until the fight where I can let it all loose. Apparently he's goin' ta try ta slip me pills ta make me weak an' lose, so I can even pretend like his plan worked an' let him think he'll win. He's in fer the shock o' his life in more ways than one," Daryl puffed his cheeks. "I wanna come home ta ya so bad."

"I wish you could, or I wish I could come to you.." Beth said sadly. "I'm so sorry you're having to go through this alone."

"I ain't alone, yer here. Even if ya ain't physically beside me, I feel ya," He murmured tiredly.

"I'm there, Daryl," Beth agreed softly. "Get some sleep. Call me whenever you want, no matter when. I'm proud of you for being so strong."

"'m fallin' apart, Beth. But I will stay strong until the last moment. I love ya," Daryl mumbled.

"I love ya so much.. Goodnight," Beth whispered.


	26. Blood Brothers

**So! I have decided that there WILL be a sequel to this story. I haven't came up with a title yet, but I have started writing the first chapter. Review and let me know what it should be called! I appreciate each and every one of you who continue to review! Thank you for favoriting, and following! There is only ONE chapter left, with an added epilogue. But! The story doesn't end there ;) on to Chapter 26!**

"What's up with you?" Merle glanced over at Daryl. "I'm the one that should be fuckin' freakin' out 'bout this," Merle wiped his brow and chugged some water.

Daryl looked at him sideways from where he leaned against the wall, shrugging his shoulders. "'M not freaked out, jus' ready ta git this over with, that's all." It was taking everything Daryl had to keep his cool. He'd had to do his best to not make eye contact with Merle, because every time he did the anger just flared in him again. If he didn't look him right in the eyes then he could manage to remain numb.

"Look, I don' want ya ta take it easy on me. Feel free ta hit me as hard as ya want durin' the fight, alright? 'M sure yer ecstatic fer the opportunity ta do that," Merle chuckled and cracked his knuckles.

"Ya, only fer the past 36 years..." He mumbled. All Daryl could think of was what a liar Merle was. He wasn't scared to tell Daryl to go hard because he was planning on dropping him the pills that would make him weak and out of it. "Yeah, I am kinda lookin' forward ta it," Daryl added grimly.

"Ya should know that I ain't holdin' back either, 'specially with Martinez there. Wouldn' want him ta think I turned weak...I will be takin off the prosthetic, though. All o' it." Merle bounced a few times on his feet before punching the hanging sand bag with sharp hits.

"I didn' expect ya ta hold back. By all means, try ta beat the shit out o' me. That way I won' feel bad when I take ya down," Daryl smirked coldly and pushed off the wall, walking over to pull-up bar and reaching up to grab it with a firm grip, his jaw tensing as he pulled up and put his chin over the bar. He repeated this a few times, losing himself in the exhaustion and accelerated heart rate that it brought on.

"Quit showin' off," Merle threw a towel at Daryl's chest, walking over to him when he dropped down and wiped off his face with the towel. "Hey.. If 'm gonna fight anyone, I'm glad it's you."

Daryl pursed his lips and cautiously raised his gaze to Merle's face. "Why would ya say that?"

"B'cause, baby brother.. Yer my right-hand man. I know I can always count on ya an' yer the only one that don' let me down," He shrugged both shoulders. "'nough of'this corny bullshit," Merle laughed and punched Daryl in the shoulder. "Everything is set fer the fight tomorrow so it's best if ya git rest. 'm sure y'all need it."

For a single second, Daryl started to feel bad about all that was going to happen to Merle the next day. Then he remembered how Merle lied to him and used him and how he intended on sabotaging him and Daryl no longer felt regretful.

"Ya, I see what ya mean," Daryl rubbed his nose smoothly with the back of wrist and sniffed. "Ya better get some rest too, eh? Big day tomorrow," Dary faked a little kindness.

Merle put his arm around Daryl's shoulder and Daryl turned his head away with a grimace. "Things are goin' ta git better fer us after this. We'll have a new city, new conquests an' the cash will be rollin' in, y'all see. As long as ya stick with me, dad will never harm ya again," Merle patted his arm and Daryl's fist tightened at his side.

"Ya," He gritted out. "I ain't got no doubt that he'll never harm me again."

"We were meant ta roll together, blood," Merle pulled away, winking and making a clicking noise with his tongue at the same time. "But I apologize in advance fer kickin' yer ass tomorrow," he laughed.

"I 'pologize in advance fer provin' ya wrong," Daryl squared his shoulders and cocked his head.

"Alright, alright," Merle grinned. "I like that. Hey, 'm gonna go an' git myself a big thing o' water b'fore the fight tomorrow, I'll pick one up fer ya too while 'm at it," Merle offered.

"That's kinder than the norm fer ya brother," Daryl narrowed his eyes.

"I guess I'm jus' in a givin' spirit, an' the water here ain't exactly refreshin'," He replied. "Sound good, though?"

"Ya, sure.. Thanks," Daryl kept his face even, but he knew exactly what Merle was going to do with his water. "'m tired.. I'll see ya" he pushed past Merle and jogged toward the house, having to resist the urge to punch an old cedar beam because he knew it'd fuck up his hand.

Daryl fell down on the bed in exhaustion from his past few days of training hard and from how much he had to act around Merle. Every moment was work and the only time that was his own was during the night when he could call Beth and forget about the web of deception he was completely entangled in.

He wet his dry lips and lit up a cigarette before dialing Beth's number.

Beth had spent the previous few days at school working non-stop on her paper. It was nearing 40 pages and the words were starting to all run together. Morris had given her some good notes and edits and Beth was working hard to incorporate them all.

By the time she got home that night she was past the point of tired. She was going to make her cup of tea and get in bed to await Daryl's nightly call; it was the thing that kept her going all day.

She waited for the tea bag to infuse the water with herbal goodness and yawned wide, the tip of her tongue curling and her eyes watering.

"Boo," Maggie's voice came from behind her and Bath jumped nearly a foot in the air. Maggie started laughing and Carl joined in out of nowhere.

"I never get sick of scaring you!" Maggie slapped her thigh while she chuckled. "It's too easy."

"You're a jerk. I've had a long day and you know how much it sucks to be startled when you're tired as hell."

"I told him not to, man," Carl leaned on the counter with a smile.

"I didn't know you two were here. You were oddly quiet.." Beth squinted at them suspiciously.

"We built a fort out of blankets and did a hotbox in there," Maggie grinned.

"Yeah, but we had to leave because Maggie farted," Carl rolled his eyes. "Everyone knows the number one rule in forts is that you're not allowed to fart."

"Wow, that was not me! It was Larry!" Her eyes widened.

"You did not just blame the lizard," Carl shook his head in disappointment and Larry crawled out from his pocket and perched on his shoulder to give Maggie an unamused look.

"Alright, as entertaining as this is," Beth smiled faintly, "I'm exhausted. Just please, keep the farting in your room and have a good night," Beth looked between Maggie and Carl and then accidentally made eye contact with Larry. "Uhh.. Goodnight to you too, lizard guy," Beth cleared her throat awkwardly and went into her room.

She got settled in bed and sipped at her tea while she read over a chapter of her textbook for an online quiz she had the next week. She was finding that staying ahead of the curve was the best way to handle the grueling end of the semester and she was just getting to the point where the reading might put her to sleep when her phone started ringing.

With a smile, Beth slid under the covers and answered the phone. "Hey, stranger."

"Hey yerself," Daryl's tired voice responded gently. "I can' stay long, I really need sleep."

"I know you need it," Beth bit the corner of her bottom lip. "How was it today with Merle?"

Daryl huffed. "He's tryin' ta act like a nice guy. I don' know what his scheme is, but it's gettin' harder fer me ta pretend that I can stand him. Thank God tomorrow it'll all be over."

"Just one more day and then you won't have to see him again," Beth nodded and rubbed her cheek against the pillow. "What time should I meet you?"

"Mmm.. The fight starts at 10 tomorrow night so, wanna git coffee with me first? Merle an' I will roll into town 'round 7, prob'ly. Knox has my car so I'll have Merle drop me off at the coffee shop," He yawned loudly.

"I'll meet you there, then.." Beth's lips turned up in a smile. "I'm excited to see you."

"Me too, baby," Daryl's voice was quieter.

"I can tell you're beginning the process of drifting off. Get some sleep and I'll see you tomorrow night.. I miss you," Beth whispered softly.

"I miss ya more," Daryl's voice came back with a smile.

"Equal, okay?" Beth grinned and pulled the blanket up to her chin happily. "Have sweet dreams."

"They will be if yer in them," Daryl mumbled.

"Oh, stop it," Beth rolled her eyes but blushed. "Talk to you tomorrow, really."

"Are we gonna do the whole, 'ya hang up first, no ya hang up first' thing?" Daryl laughed lowly. "I love ya, Beth."

"I love you too," Beth sighed. "But you hang up first," Beth chuckled.

"Fuckin' ridiculous," He let out a huff of laughter. "Alright, I'll be the man. G'dnight," he hung up the phone with a gentle laugh.

Beth fell asleep with a big smile on her face that night.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey," Maggie prodded at Beth's shoulder with a pointed finger.

Beth squinted up at her and growled. "Get out," she smacked her roommate with a pillow.

"No way! We need groceries," She bounced her butt on the bed.

"Go get them yourself, God," Beth groaned and flipped over onto her stomach, burying her head under her pillow.

"No can do! My car is on the fritz and I need you to drive," Maggie countered and laid on top of Beth's back. "Ohhh, what a comfy bed I've found here."

"Get off," Beth wheezed and flailed her arms. "Can't. Breathe."

"I'll get off if you say you'll take me to the store," Maggie sighed in content and smacked her lips. "I could lay here alllll day."

"You can borrow my car!" Beth gritted out.

"You know I can't drive a stick," She yawned and wiggled on top of Beth. "Come on, I'll buy you a candy bar."

"Two of them," Beth raised the stakes and pinched Maggie on the side where she could reach.

"Deal," Maggie rolled off smoothly and hopped to her feet on the floor. "Good thing you agreed because your bony ass is actually the least comfortable pillow ever," She took off her glasses and cleaned a smudge with the bottom of her shirt.

Beth shot her friend a hard glare and looked at the clock. "Only food would motivate you to get out of bed this early."

"Not true, I've been known to get up early for other reasons," Maggie puffed out her chest.

"Saturday morning cartoons are not a valid reason," Beth smiled wrly and sat on the edge of her bed, rubbing her eyes.

"Well, not now. They just show shit for babies like Dora the Explorer and Bob the fucking Builder," Maggie said bitterly.

"It'll be okay. Let the babies have their shows," Beth stood up and nudged Maggie on the arm before padding to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth.

Maggie opened Beth's closet and started tossing out clothes for her to wear in a haste. Beth walked back out with her fingers running through her hair. "What the.." She glanced at the combination of shirt and pants that Maggie had picked. "Kay, never pick out my clothes for me again," Beth rolled her eyes with a laugh and grabbed some sweats instead. She would get dressed for real later after she showered.

"Excuse me but maybe I didn't want to be seen in public with a hobo," Maggie turned up her nose at Beth's grubby look.

"I'm gonna teach you how to drive a stick so this doesn't happen again," Beth flicked Maggie's ear.

"Ohh, are you gonna use Daryl as a teaching tool?" Maggie teased.

"I didn't mean that kind of stick," Beth smirked. "Those type of skills cannot be taught."

"Look out, ladies and gents, somebody put on her sassy pants this morning," Maggie mussed Beth's hair and ducked before Beth could slap the back of her head.

He sighed and scratched at his chin, smoothing his hands over his now shaved face and looked in the mirror.

That morning he had woken up with a fire pulsing through his veins fueled by pure anger. The numbness of what Merle had done was completely worn off and Daryl was more than ready to get a piece of him.

He glanced in the mirror with a shrewd eye, examining the various scars on his torso, limbs and face that told their little calamitous tales of his past. Sighing loudly, he stepped into his pants and did them up with a belt before grabbing whichever wifebeater he felt first and slipping it on. He zipped up a hoodie and coughed.

"Hey, quit doin' yer makeup an' git out here!" Merle pounded on the door. "We got a long drive ahead o' us an' we need ta git fuckin' goin'."

Daryl bit the insides of his cheeks and exhaled sharply through his nose while he glanced at the door with hard eyes. His mind told him to keep it cool but something else in him said that he wouldn't handle being in a car with a traitor. "'m ready," He swung the door open and picked up his bag.

"Lookin' sharp, kid," Merle smiled grimly. "Too bad I'll be fuckin' all that up, later," he winked and headed down the stairs.

Daryl kept his mouth shut and reminded himself that it would just be a bit longer until he could wipe that cockiness off of his brother's face.

Beth leaned lazily against the shopping cart and watched Maggie fill it with almost everything in sight. Beth gave her a quizzical look. "I'm sorry, did I miss something? Is there a zombie apocalypse happening that I was unaware of?" Beth motioned to the overflowing cart.

"First of all," Maggie looked at her seriously, "don't joke about that because it really could happen and you'll be the first one to be infected because you're a non-believer and the furthest from scrappy," she cleared her throat. "Second of all, this is how much I always buy," she shrugged.

Beth thought for a moment and realized she'd never actually shopped for food with Maggie and that it was just always in the apartment. But watching Maggie now was like watching an Olympic event. She would win the gold for largest amount of things put in a cart in the smallest amount of time.

"You nervous about tonight?" Maggie asked while she ripped into a bag of chips, apparently too famished to wait until they got to the check-out.

"I'm.." Beth sighed, "conflicted about how I feel. I'm nervous that Merle is going to hurt Daryl badly, but I'm so excited about that asshole finally reaching judgement day."

"Yeah, I feel you," Maggie chomped on a Dorito. "When are we going?"

"No, you're not going to this one," Beth shook her head adamantly.

"You are such a party pooper! Always saying no," Maggie huffed loudly.

"You act like a two year old sometimes...Let me explain, okay?" She narrowed her eyes and waited for her roommate to nod. "It's just that I'm out of that and Daryl is almost out of it. I don't want to risk you getting wrapped up in it somehow if Merle sees you. He could charge at you or something, who knows."

"What about you? Didn't he say he never wanted to see you again?" Maggie raised her eyebrows.

"He can't do anything to me anymore," Beth lifted a shoulder. "And if he tried, I would so gladly knock him on his ass."

"Oh, I see, you think I can't knock him on his ass too?" Maggie blinked toward Beth and started putting her groceries on the conveyer belt. The cashier looked at the amount of food with alarm.

Beth patted Maggie on the back. "Nope, I don't think you can."

"What an asshole! You don't believe in me," Maggie faked tears.

"I believe you will be walking home if you keep harping on that," Beth said warningly and put her two candy bars on the belt. "Thanks for those."

"Oooh, nice choices," She looked at the chocolate and approved, totally distracted from what they were talking about.

-This is fucking torture., Daryl's 's text read.

-How long have you been in the car with him? Beth frowned while he typed back, polishing up her hair with her free hand.

-Going on four hours. We still have a little while to go. Still good to meet me at 7 at the coffee shop?

-Yep, I'll be there. Beth's stomach fluttered at the thought of seeing Daryl. Though they hadn't been apart that long the events that had taken place since Daryl left had only added to the feeling of time.

-I'm gonna kiss you. A lot. Just thought I should warn you.

Beth bit down on a big smile and wrote back, -I'm pretty sure I can handle it. Gone were the days when Daryl needed upmost focus before a fight, apparently. Beth was grateful she was no longer deprived of kisses.

-We will see about that ;-), His reply came back.

"I can't believe he put a winky face," Beth laughed to herself. -I love you. Now save your battery and shoot Merle some dirty looks on my behalf, please.

-Oh, with pleasure. I love you too.

Beth couldn't hide her grin when she pulled up to the shop and saw Daryl casually leaning against the brick wall with a smile of his own. She parked the car and got out, reminding herself not to run as she moved toward Daryl, his arms immediately going around Daryl's neck and her eyes studying his face.

"It's you," Beth sighed softly and rested her forehead against Daryl's.

Daryl wound his arms around Beth's waist and closed his eyes, squeezing her body against his. "This is what I needed," he murmured and inhaled Beth's scent with a brush of his nose along her neck.

"I missed you an embarrassing amount," Beth admitted before she could hold it back.

Daryl chuckled lowly and looked into Beth's eyes. "Ya talked ta me every day."

"But I didn't get to touch you.." Beth's lower lip jutted out.

"I missed ya a lot, too. I missed this.." Daryl whispered and licked Beth's full lower lip before sucking it briefly and pressing a soft kiss to Beth's lips.

Beth inhaled quickly through her nose, kissing Daryl's lips greedily and sliding his hand to cup Daryl's cheek. "Do you know what I think?" Beth murmured against his lips.

"Mm?" Daryl produced a lazy smile and his eyes darkened slightly.

"I think we will need to celebrate tonight. You know, if you're not too hurt," Beth furrowed her brows at the afterthought.

"What kind o' celebratin' were ya thinkin'?" He nudged Beth's foot with his own.

"The naked kind," Beth wiggled her brows and both laughed.

"I won' be too hurt fer that," Daryl shook his head gently and kissed Beth's lips again.

They made their way inside and found a corner booth to be secluded in while they sipped their hot drinks. Beth traced her fingertips over the rough skin of Daryl's upturned palm and pursed her lips.

"Have you given any thought to doing something with your dad's ashes?" Betb asked hesitantly, regretting being nosy, but as always feeling unable to help it.

Daryl nodded with a swallow. "Mhm. I guess it's only right that I bury them er some shit, yeah? I mean, I guess I owe him that much."

"You don't owe him anything," Beth shook her head quickly. "It's whatever you want to do. I'll go with you if you want," Beth lifted Daryl's hand to kiss it and rest it on her cheek.

"I think I need a little bit o' time b'fore I go back there.. But yeah, when I do.. I want ya ta come with me," He rubbed his thumb over Beth's cheekbone and smiled. "Ya look nice, tonight."

"So do you," Beth blinked softly. "You shaved."

Daryl brought his hand up to touch the sides of his face and nodded. "Yeah, it was lookin' pretty haggard." He smiled lighly.

"Stop being so dazzling with that smile of yours, please," Beth cocked a brow. "We should get going."

"Yep.." He sighed loudly and glanced at the extravagantly large clock on the wall. "Doomsday has come."

"For Merle, at least," Beth stood up and stretched.

Daryl tugged on her shirt to pull her forward for a kiss, totally ignoring the staring people in the shop who apparently weren't fans of PDA. "Thank ya fer helpin' me relax," Daryl whispered. "I'd be freakin' out fer sure if ya weren' here."

Beth took Daryl's hand and walked with him to the door. "Don't thank me, I want to be here with you," she smiled gently at Daryl. "You've got this. Promise to get a punch in for me, too?"

"Ya know I will," Daryl chuckled and wrapped his arm around Beth's waist.

The crowd was bigger than any Beth had seen so far; apparently many people wanted to see Merle fight. The fight was taking place in a large field with torches lit around, which definitely added to the creepy factor that was already looming in the mix of seedy looking men and the surly and loud women they brought along with them.

Beth's eyes darted around until they spotted Martinez and Carol hovering near the back. They stood a few feet apart and Carol had on her sunglasses even though it was night. They were there to collect their payment and ruin Merle's life, but they were playing it safe for the moment so Merle wouldn't catch on and run with the money.

Beth smoothed some chapstick over her stinging bottom lip from constant worried biting and bounced on the balls of her feet, feeling increasingly nervous as she always did before the fights. What if it didn't work out the way they planned? What if Merle beat up Daryl beyond the point of repair? Beth hated these adverse thoughts but couldn't help but recognize that they had some clout.

Daryl was off to the side with his large jug of water and he had already texted Beth and let her know that he dumped the water and filled it up with the clean stuff. He drank from it dutifully so Merle could see and think that his plan was working.

Beth crossed her fingers with hope and flashed Daryl a sure smile when they made eye contact. "I love you," Beth mouthed and she saw Daryl's lips turn up in the faintest of smiles while his eyes drifted back down to the ground.

"I thought Merle retired," someone nearby gossiped.

"He did!" a man replied. "It must be something pretty special if he's fighting tonight."

Beth took a deep breath, refraining from chiming in that Merle's assholery was the only thing that landed him here tonight. She rubbed her hands together and chewed on her lower lip again, shuddering when Merle walked into sight. Beth ducked a little, not wanting to be spotted right away and cause a ruckus.

"Alright, alright," Merle grinned when the crowd started clapping for him and he held up his hands. Leech stepped out and handed him the megaphone. "Now, I know yer all here b'cause ya missed seein' me fightin', right? Not b'cause ya wanna see me git punched," Merle smirked and the crowd laughed loudly. Beth just rolled her eyes and mumbled that he was here for the latter.

"My opponent t'night is a worthy one.." he motioned to Daryl. "Daryl, come an' join me over here?"

Beth watched Daryl walk slowly with a straight face over to Daryl, his hands shoved in his pockets with indifference. Merle wrapped his arm around Daryl's shoulders and Daryl cringed visibly. "This guy right here has been through a lot o' shit with me an' t'night he's doin' me a big favor. Ya see.. I'm bein' blackmailed," Merle announced and Beth widened her eyes at the confession.

"By someone from my past that ain't a fan o' all o' this," Merle motioned over himself. "Don' see how anyone couldn' be," he grinned and shrugged a shoulder, causing the crowd to catcall and cheer. "So Dixon here is helpin' me earn the money ta keep my family safe. That's right, I do actually have family that I care 'bout."

Beth glanced over to Martinez and Carol and saw how nervous they looked. Beth didn't blame them; nobody expected Merle to be so forthcoming.

"He's a good guy ta let me beat him up fer a cause," Merle patted Daryl's shoulder and Daryl looked down.

"Don't lose your resolve, Daryl.. Come on," Beth muttered to herself and took a shallow breath.

"Thank ya all fer payin' ta come here, b' cause yer helpin' me out more than ya know. Just like this guy is," Merle looked at Daryl again. "Now that we have all that sappy shit out o' the way, let's fuckin' git ta it!" he yelled into the megaphone before tossing it to Leech.

Daryl quickly backed up and took his hoodie off, throwing it aside. The veins in his arms were already pumping and Beth tilted her head in admiration of how strong she looked. It only took one moment of attention to Daryl's face for Beth to realize that Daryl wasn't going to fall for Merle's tricks this time. His face was set with determination and he was going to fight.

Merle assumed that the muscle relaxants would be taking effect and that explained his completely confident look. He knew how good of a fighter Daryl was and if he wasn't counting on the pills, he'd be faltering at least a little bit.

The familiar hush went over the crowd as Daryl and Merle circled each other slowly, predatory glares in their eyes and their jaws set tight. As much as Beth wanted Daryl to come out on top, she knew there really was a big possibility that he wouldn't. No matter what though, Merle would be ruined and Daryl would be free. If he needed some mending after then Beth would be there to take care of him.

"Are ya too chicken shit ta hit me, Dixon?" Merle smiled evilly and turned his cheek toward Daryl. "Com'mon, hit me right there. Do it."

Daryl looked at him with disgust and his fist flexed firmly at his side. "I ain't followin' yer orders anymore, ya fuckin' prick," Daryl hit Merle in the stomach hard with an abrupt kick and knocked him flat on his back.

Similar gasps and shocked reactions filtered through the congregation and Beth's hand went over her mouth, hiding a pleased smile that she hoped wasn't premature.

Daryl immediately got in a kick to Merle's ribs for good measure and backed up quickly when Merle started to grab for his ankle. Daryl brought both of his fists up by his face protectively and bounced on his feet, taking fast breaths through his tight lips.

Merle scrambled to his feet with a look of severe agitation and swung at Daryl's face, barely clipping his jaw with his knuckles. Daryl lifted his bent elbow against the underside Merle's chin and then smacked him in the cheekbone with his fist while he was stunned.

Beth put her hands in a teepee and placed them against her lips, her brows furrowed in focus as she watched Daryl move swiftly and with skill.

Merle growled loudly and his broad shoulders raised in a pant before he charged at Daryl, wrapping his arms around Daryl's waist and knocking him to the ground to pin him down. Daryl struggled wildly beneath him; his arms and legs swinging and bending in hopes to damage Merle anywhere.

Beth winced and put her hand over her eyes like a wimp, peeking through her fingers because they lent some sort of safety. "Flip him over, flip him over," Beth chanted under her breath and her sigh of relief was loud when Daryl did just that.

Daryl had him pressed to the ground with a knee to his stomach and he was wailing on him with repeated punches to the jaw. Merle shoved him off hard and Daryl did a slow skid on his back over the grass. Merle stood up, reeling from the hits and staggering about while he got his bearings.

Daryl got to his feet and swallowed hard, sweat dripping down his white wifebeater and his chest rising and falling in heavy breaths. Merle gave him a bewildered look, obviously not understanding how the pills didn't take effect.

He spat some blood on the ground and ran toward Daryl with vigor. Daryl held his ground and ducked when Merle tried to get him in a headlock. He delivered jabs to Merle's side and groaned when Merle grabbed a handful of his hair and tugged them hard.

"What the fuck?" Beth yelled out and a few people stared at her. "Sorry, but he's fighting like a fucking girl!"

Hair pulling was definitely frowned upon in these situations and Beth knew that Merle must have been feeling very desperate to do that, especially in front of Martinez. But still, he could back off a bit from Daryl's hair. His hair was Beth's to pull.

Daryl jammed his elbow behind him into Merle's ribs and took the man's addled moment to jerk away from him and do an uppercut punch to Merle's prominent chin. Merle gripped his head in his hands with a long groan.

"Have ya had enough?" Daryl yelled out. "B'cause I could go all night," he panted and the crowd silenced while they listened. "Ya son o' a bitch.." Daryl kicked him in the leg and shoved his chest to knock him down on the ground.

Merle made futile attempts to grab at Daryl but it was pretty clear to everyone that he was done. "Let me tell ya somethin' 'bout this guy that ya all think is a badass," Daryl looked around at the people while he wiped his lips with his hand and caught his breath. "He's been usin' me ta make money fer years an' I let him b'cause he was keepin' me away from our abusive father. Yes, we're fuckin' blood. He has threatened ta send me back ta our dad, every fuckin' time I made him mad er didn' cooperate.."

Merle looked up at him from his place on the ground, shaking his head slowly. "Turns out that our dad is dead, an' this fucker knew 'bout it an' pretended that he was still alive so he could continue usin' me.." Daryl looked at him with contempt.

"How did ya.." Merle spoke hoarsely.

"I heard ya talkin' ta Leech," Daryl shot Leech a glare and the man looked back at him sheepishly.

The crowd reacted with alarm and the majority of the women gave Merle dirty looks. Beth just stood there amazed and terrified about what was going down. She never expected Daryl to have such gusto in front of everyone. "Oh an' wait, Merle tried ta slip me pills t'night ta throw the fight. So, he's a liar an' a cheater an'.. 'm fuckin' done," he kicked Merle's leg hard and started to walk off before pausing and walking quickly back to Merle.

"Know what? When I overheard ya talkin' 'bout our dead dad, I was on my way ta tell ya that yer bein' fuckin' played by Martinez an' yer dear Carol. I was comin' ta warn ya that they are takin' ya fer all ya got anM are gonna skip town together with their daughter. Yes, their daughter. She ain't even yers. Seems I ain't the only one that was in the dark," Daryl raised his brows. "An' I know that hurts more than my fist ever could, don' it?" he said coldly and turned to push his way through the crowd.

Martinez stepped out of the crowd and walked up to Merle, staring down at him. "Why?" Merle mumbled pathetically up at him and held up his hand defensively.

"Why? Are you really asking me that?" Martinez scowled. "I was in prison because of you. I was holding your fucking drugs and you just let the cops take me away while you ran like the coward that you are!"

"No, it wasn' like that.." Merle stumbled to his feet and shook his head. "I didn' know they were takin' ya in, but ya know I couldn' stay when the cops showed up. I'm a wanted man."

"You're a man who has continually let other people pay for your mistakes and crimes.. When does it fucking stop? You ruined your brothers life.. You ruined mine, you ruined Carol's."

"I didn' ruin that bitch's life!" Merle yelled. "She ruined mine by lyin' 'bout Sophia bein' yer daughter!"

"She was terrified to tell you the truth because of your temper and your ability to snap at any second. You abused her and it was only a matter of time before you started in on Sophia," He crossed his arms over his chest.

"I would never do that an' ya know it.." Merle fumed lowly, blood trickling down his face from one of Daryl's punches.

As captivated as Beth was by what was going down, she just wanted to find Daryl. She weaved through the throngs of people and bumped squarely into someone with an 'oof'. "Oh, I'm sorry," Beth started apologizing and looked up when she caught the familiar scent. "Daryl.." She mumbled, a little smile on her lips.

He threw his arms around Beth and hugged her in a tight grip, his body shaking.

"It's okay now.. It's okay.." Beth rubbed his back soothingly and kissed his cheek, completely ignoring the curious stares of the people who had just watched a tough guy fight and now saw him as a crumbling mess in a woman's arms. "Do you want me to take you back to my place?"

Daryl shook his head and took a deep breath. "I wanna see what happens with them. Please," Daryl looked at her face and Beth nodded.

"Of course. I do too," Beth admitted and cupped Daryl's cheek before pecking his lips. "Excuse us," Beth gave the starers an unamused look and she and Daryl walked closer to the front of the people, picking back up on the conversation.

"Jus' b'cause ya made her don' mean yer her father! I been there fer her since birth an' I was the one who gave her money an  
took care of her an'-" Merle started stammering.

"I would have been there for her!" Martinez was getting increasingly heated. "But I was sent off to jail because you fucking set me up. You were just waiting to get rid of me so you could have Carol all to yourself.."

"She chose me, asshole. Simple as that," Merle sneered.

"Do you know why? Because she didn't want to be with someone that got arrested and had to go to court. She thought I was a bad choice because of the man you painted me to be.." Martinez's voice shook with anger. "Why the fuck do you think I showed up and beat the piss out of you that day? You think that was because I was sad that Carol chose you? No, I was so angry that you changed the course of my life for the worse.. After I got sent to jail, I wrote her and explained everything until she finally believed me. See.. That's why I deserve this money and my daughter back. Since you took away everything from me."

Merle gulped and backed up slowly. "Look.. Ya got yer money. Take it an' leave, alright? I won' bother ya and ya won' bother me anymore. Go off into the fuckin' sunset with yer perfect family an' leave me the hell alone!" Merle turned and started to run off, only to be stopped by Martinez grabbing his arm and tugging him back.

"Nah, I've got one last thing to say before you go," Martinez glared and punched Merle hard, making him stumble back. "You better hope I never see you again," he said with disdain and grabbed the box of cash from Leech and paused next to Beth and Daryl. "I don't know how you found out.." he spoke to Daryl. "But thank you for breaking the ice, so to speak," he cracked a small smile. "You fought really great."

"Thanks," Daryl gave a tight smile and looked away, not really wanting that sort of attention. "Good luck with.. Ya," Daryl shrugged.

"Thanks, Dixon.. I mean, Daryl," Martinez smiled and went back over to Carol, taking her hand to leave.

"This turned pretty fucking weird.." a large man in the crowd spoke up. "I didn't pay to see this soap opera shit," another added.

"Then GO!" Merle roared, his anger making his whole body shake. "LEAVE, IDIOTS."

"What crawled up his ass?" someone mumbled and people laughed.

Merle stood up and stumbled off into the nearby woods while people began to dissipate and talk casually, as if they did not just witness a man's humiliating downfall.

Beth frowned while she watched Merle's retreating form and she looked at Daryl who had a similar expression on his face. "I don't trust him like that.."

"Me neither," Daryl's jaw tightened. "Com'on, I wanna do one last thing," he tugged on Beth's hand and they followed after Merle.

"Have ya come ta rub salt in my wounds?" Merle wheezed from his spot where he sat against a tree.

"No, I think Martinez took care o' that pretty well," Daryl replied simply.

"Then why the fuck are ya here? Ya got what ya wanted, yer free. Go," Merle waved his hand and winced, grabbing his ribs.

"An' what happens when yer healed an' ya gathered a bit o' money again? Ya start up on this shit er go after me er Beth, right?" Daryl crouched down in front of Merle. "I don' trust ya at all."

Merle just stared at Daryl for a moment before closing his eyes tight, shaking his head and letting out a strangled sob. "I'm sorry!"

"No, yer not," Daryl didn't react to Merle dramatics. "Yer jus' sorry ya got caught."

"I'm sorry I lost my daughter," Merle mumbled sadly. "That's what I'm sorry about."

"Maybe if you pull your shit together, you'll get to see her again one day," Beth piped up. "But not like this. They won't let you near her if you keep up with the anger and the manipulating and the illegal activity."

Merle sniffed and shrugged a shoulder. "This way.. Is the only way I know."

"Good thing old dogs can learn new tricks, then," Daryl sighed. "What I should do is call the cops an' have yer ass hauled off ta jail, jus' as ya threatened ta do ta me many times. 'm sure ya could build some character there."

"Please, no.. Please, please," Merle begged, a sight that neither Daryl or Beth had seen before.

"Stop. I ain't goin' ta do that. B'cause unlike ya, I have some compassion. But I swear on everythin' brother, if ya ever try ya cause trouble fer me or someone I care 'bout again," Daryl looked right into his eyes and he shook with anger as he spat, " I will fuckin' kill ya." Daryl said firmly and stood up, reaching into his back pocket for his wallet.

"Here," he tossed Merle $200. "Since technically, I wouldn' have that money if it weren't fer ya. Take it an' stay at a motel in a town far away from here. Find a job, make an honest livin' an' see if ya can manage ta b'come a decent human bein'."

"I son' need yer fuckin' pity...Why are ya being nice ta me..?" Merle looked at the money, at a loss.

"B'cause I never want karma ta kick my ass the way it did yers t'night," Daryl shrugged. "Sorry, brother." He took Beth's hand and they started to walk away.

"Oh and," Daryl turned around for a brief moment. "I do have one thing I need ta thank ya fer.." Beth and Merle both looked at him in confusion. "Thank ya fer helpin' me spend tons o' time around Beth. I guess it's b'cause o' ya that I got the opportunity ta be with her an' fall fer her," Daryl flashed a wide grin and then held up his middle finger.

Beth rolled her lips in to hide a smile but she failed when it split across her face. Beth wiggled her eyebrows and laughed at the look of annoyance on Merles face. "Yeah, thanks for that and nothing else. Goodbye!" Beth grinned and she and Daryl chuckled as they walked off.

"You don't look too bad, Dixon," Beth remarked as she inspected Daryl's face from her position of straddling Daryl's hips.

"Neither do ya," Daryl smirked up and her and rested his hands on Beth's bare thighs.

"I'm really proud of you, Daryl," She cocked her head with a gentle smile. "I never could have done everything you did tonight."

"Ya would have if he'd done ta ya what he did ta me," Daryl swallowed and adjusted his head on the pillow.

"No, but I meant.. Showing him kindness in the end by giving him a chance to get away. That showed so much more strength and courage than just beating him up and calling the cops," Beth stroked Daryl's cheek and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

"I guess I have more o' my mom in me than I thought," He simply shrugged before pulling Beth down against his chest to kiss her lips. "It's crazy how Martinez turned out ta be an okay guy.."

"Merle had everyone fooled," Beth closed her eyes and rested her head on Daryl's shoulder.

"It's beyond me how I didn' realize how bad he was sooner.. I guess I was so terrified ta end up back with my dad that I jus' went with it, even when it felt off.." Daryl pursed his lips, turning his head to nudge Beth's nose with his own. "Do ya know what though?"

"What?" Beth murmured, looking at Daryl's face.

"If I'd known that my dad died when it happened.. I would have left Merle right away an'...I never would have gotten ta know ya so well an' have been yer trainer an' I think it worked out the way it was supposed ta." Daryl nodded slowly.

"How can you say that, babe? You could have been free a lot sooner.." Beth furrowed her brows.

"I still would have been in chains o' my own makin'.. Ya taught me how ta let go. I couldn' have gotten ta this point without ya," He urged gently.

Beth's heart began to swell as it often did when Daryl said something so meaningful and unexpected. "I love you.. I fucking love you," Beth lifted her head to look down at Daryl's face fondly. "I've never felt so loved and needed and wanted.. Ever in my life," Her lower lip quivered and she bit down on it. "I didn't expect the asshole I met months ago to turn into the love of my life," Beth chuckled softly and Daryl pinched her side.

"Don' ya have a sweet way with words," Daryl laughed and a slow smile spread on his face. "But I guess I was a pretty big jerk.. Now look what ya done ta me, 'm fuckin' soft," Daryl wrinkled his nose and flipped them over so he was hovering over Beth.

"You don't feel so soft to me," Beth dragged her nails up Daryl's hard stomach and watched the muscles tighten.

"That reminds me, jus' b'cause we're out o' the fightin' business don' mean ya git ta be lazy again," Daryl raised both brows. "We're still gonna work out together."

"I can think of a good workout for us to do.." Beth smiled slyly and inched her fingers along the V shape of Daryl's lower abs.

"Ohh.. I dunno. I been thinkin'," He made a serious face. "Now that we are really gonna do this relationship thing, maybe we moved too fast b'fore. I think it would be a good idea if we started over from the beginnin'. No sex, jus' dates an' we'll see where it goes.."

Beth's mouth dropped open and her head shook back and forth. "You've got to be fucking kidding me.. Daryl," Beth pushed at his chest. "I don't agree with that at all. It's stupid and I don't want to forget all we've been through because-"

He cut her off with a hard and deep kiss, leaving her breathless and wordless. "I was kiddin'," he grinned wide and let out a loud laugh.

"You punk.." Beth swatted Daryl's arm hard but couldn't stay annoyed because it was incredible to see how carefree Daryl looked. He was peaceful. The kind of peaceful he normally was only able to feel when he slept. But he was awake and happy and tranquil.

"I made some stupid decisions in my life, Beth, but I won' add the refusal ta fuck ya ta that list," Daryl kissed along Beth's jaw and Beth wrapped her arms and legs around Daryl, pulling him against her and sighing happily.

"I 100% agree, that would be a horrible decision," Beth kissed Daryl's ear and then frowned. "Wait, get off real quick."

"Beth, I don' wanna joke 'bout it anymore," He whined lowly and ground his hips against Beth's hard.

"No, it's not that.. I have to pee," Beth jutted out her lower lip and looked up at an amused Daryl.

"Yer like a little baby.." Daryl laughed and rolled off of her with a groan. "Hurry, please," he slapped Beth's ass when she sauntered off in her panties.

Beth raised a wicked eyebrow before going into the bathroom to do her stuff. As she finished and washed her hands, she looked in the mirror and was shocked to find that her expression was the same as Daryl's; happy and carefree. Finally.

She stepped out of the bathroom and blinked at the bed in confusion when she saw that Daryl wasn't in it. "Where are you?" Beth called out and then let out a noise of surprise when she was pushed chest first against the wall by a strong body.

"I seem ta remember discussin' fuckin' ya this way.." Daryl whispered huskily in her ear and sucked on the lobe.

Beth knew it was going to be a long night.


	27. We're Free

**So! Here is the official last chapter of 'Rough'! I will probably go ahead and update with the epilogue tonight because I'm excited to start the sequel! Thank you everybody! I love you!**

_One and a half months later..._

Beth and Daryl had fallen into a steady routine of sleeping together, eating together, hanging out together and of course, having as much sex as possible between Beth's busy schedule. It was a weird feeling having so much comfort without any fear of having it taken away and they were both enjoying it as much as they could.

They hadn't heard from Merle or any of his guys and it took a matter of weeks for them to fully accept that they were in the clear. Daryl hadn't been in any rush to find his own place and Beth was doing what she could to keep him from looking; she liked having Daryl around. But Beth knew Daryl was getting a little stir-crazy and feeling the need to have his own thing apart from Beth but was struggling to find out what that could be. Beth planned to bring it up as she walked into the coffee shop to meet Daryl.

"Hey, graduate," Daryl grinned as Beth walked over.

Beth rolled her eyes and blushed, sitting down across from Daryl at a wooden table with a ceramic top. "Stop it. It wasn't a big deal."

"Um, yes it was. I still can' believe ya didn' wanna walk. I was lookin' forward ta seein' ya in yer goofy cap an' gown, stumblin' across the stage," He chuckled and Beth shook her head with a smile.

"I avoid awkward social situations at all costs and the crusty old president of the university mispronouncing my name as I walk across a stage in front of hundreds of strangers is one of them. I finished my coursework and thesis and my diploma is coming in the mail soon. That's all that matters," Beth smiled proudly.

"Maybe I wanted ta break out the 'I love Beth' shirt at yer graduation," Daryl teased as he reached for Beth's hand.

"Oh, did you finally have that made?" Beth smiled slyly and wet her lips.

"Ya, I was thinkin' o' wearin' it under everythin' so I can jus' rip open my jacket an' there it will be," Daryl dead-panned.

"Like Superman, only you'd be Superoldman," Beth nodded and rolled in a smile as Daryl narrowed his eyes.

"Alright, that was pretty good," Daryl conceded with a laugh.

Beth smiled wide and trapped Daryl's foot between both of hers under the table. "I also got my diploma in Sarcasm," Beth wiggled her brows and looked up as the waitress brought their coffees, thanking her.

"Mmm," Beth winced after she burned her tongue on the first sip. "How was your day?"

Daryl shrugged and glanced down at his cup, pursing his lips.

"Hey.. You know you can talk to me about it," Beth lowered her voice, putting her hand on Daryl's wrist.

Daryl looked up with a sigh. "Same as always lately. I fixed the garbage disposal though. Make sure ta tell Maggie that it ain't okay ta put entire turkey legs down there. Seriously, yer sister is...slow."

"If only it were as easy as just telling her," Beth said wistfully. "Did you hear back from the guy about that job, though?" Beth asked carefully.

"Yeah, the position got filled," Daryl tightened his jaw. "It don' matter, I still have enough money ta last me the rest o' the month. I'll find somethin'," he forced a smile.

Beth didn't push it, because she knew how hard this was for Daryl to feel like he was out of control and inadequate somehow. "Yep, you will. Plus, I kinda selfishly want you to wait a bit longer before you get a job because that means I get to share my room with you," Beth tilted her head with a smile. "I like having you as a bedmate."

Daryl rolled his eyes but smiled. "Ya, I like it too. Even if ya kick me almost every night."

Beth laughed and pulled out he phone as a text came through. "I try to make up for my kicking," she added and squinted at the screen, reading the words while her mouth slowly dropped open. "Oh my God.."

"What is it?" Daryl asked in an immediately concerned tone, his hand reaching to grip Beth's forearm gently.

"It's.." a smile spread on Beth's face. "It's from Morris," she cleared her throat. "He says that there is interest in getting my paper published."

"Wow.." Daryl expressed. "That's great, right?"

"That's fantastic, I didn't expect it at all," Beth shook her head in disbelief, writing Morris back. "It's cool to have my hard work pay off like that," Beth admitted, a smile fixed on his face still. "This is going to help further my career and get me new connections."

"'m so proud o' ya.." Daryl smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"What's the matter?" Beth asked in a concerned tone, setting her phone down.

Daryl licked his lips, biting down on the bottom one and shaking his head. "Absolutely nothin'."

"Come on," Beth nudged his foot gently under the table. "I can see something going on in here," she very lightly poked Daryl's forehead.

Daryl swatted at Beth's hand and sighed. "It's jus' that all o' this is happenin' fer ya, an' 'm so happy fer ya, I really am. Please don' doubt that. But.. It jus' reminds me that I haven' got my shit figured out."

"You will get it figured out, Daryl. You deserved some time to just do nothing for once," Beth cupped her mug and nodded. "Clear your head and get your bearings in your new situation."

"Oh, so ya think I been doin' nothin'," He muttered and his jaw went tight, his eyes moving down to the table in a steady swoop.

"No, no," Beth quickly corrected. "You've been a Godsend at the apartment. Really, Maggie and I have no idea how to fix anything and I so appreciate your help. Plus, you cook for me every morning and night and.."

"An' 'm like a little housewife," Daryl said bitterly. "I see. Well, maybe it really is time I find my own place," Daryl sighed and rubbed his temples.

"Stop it, that's not what I meant!" Beth raised her voice and lowered it when she got curious stares. "I don't want you to go, please don't go.." Beth reached across the table and took Daryl's hand into her own. "I didn't mean it like that, you know I didn't. I'm tired and I'm saying all the wrong things."

Daryl hesitated before lacing his fingers with Beth's, his lips pursed. "I.. Ah, fuck it, I don' know what the next step is fer me."

"I can tell you what the next step is not: pulling away from me. I have a theory of why you feel like this that maybe you won't wanna hear.." Beth mumbled lowly.

"'m already in a shit mood so feel free ta lay it on me," He smiled wryly.

Beth took a breath before explaining. "I think you're having a difficult time figuring out what you wanna do because you have unfinished business.. Something that is weighing heavily on your mind."

"Ya.. I guess ya could say that," Daryl shrugged and fiddled with a spilled packet of sugar on the ceramic tiles of the table.

"So maybe you need to resolve that before you can fully move on," Beth hedged lightly.

Daryl glanced up. "Are ya my therapist now, er?"

"Hey, you should feel lucky. Someday people will be paying me the big bucks for my advice and wisdom," Beth smirked and Daryl rolled his eyes.

"Ya, but they'll be alarmed by the size o' yer big head, Mrs. Ego," Daryl replied teasingly.

"I'm pretty sure I learned my cockiness from you since you're the king of it," Beth scoffed playfully.

"Oh, is that right?" Daryl raised his brow high. "I thought I was the king o' somethin' else. At least that's what ya said last night."

Beth blushed and kicked Daryl's shin. "You're such a jerk."

"Ya, maybe so.. But ya love me a little bit, don' ya?" Daryl produced a genuine smile.

"Like a whole lot," Beth nodded in return and twitched her nose at an itch.

"'m sorry I'm bein' a jerk.. I really am happy an' proud that yer mine," He said gently and Beth couldn't help but smile wide.

"Thank you. Really, it means a lot.. And I'm sorry for boasting about my career when I know you're struggling. What do you think about what I said, though? I mean, about you resolving what's unfinished.." Beth phrased carefully.

"I think.. An' don' let this feed yer ego," Daryl teased, "I think yer right," He exhaled loudly. "I need ta git my dad's ashes an' do somethin' with them an'.. Face my past."

"If you face your past then you can fully focus on your future," Beth added.

"Did ya git that off a fortune cookie er some shit?" Daryl laughed and leaned back in his chair, his legs spreading a bit for more comfort.

"No," Beth huffed and crossed her arms before admitting, "it was in my horoscope one time."

Daryl rolled in his lips to keep from laughing but Beth beat him to it with a chuckle and they both started up. "My little dork," he kissed the back of Beth's hand chastely and stood up. "Ya down fer a little drive?"

"Okay, yeah," Beth bobbed her head and joined their hands while they walked out the door.

They pulled up in front of a worn down split-level home in a thicket of woods that Beth thought might have led to their demise. She couldn't say she was exactly relieved when they found their destination though, because what laid inside might have been way worse than the unknown in the forest.

"Hey, relax," Daryl laughed at Beth's tense posture. "This is Otis' house. He was my dad's buddy an' he's good people. If he ever saw my dad try ta beat on me he would distract him with a beer er a football game on TV. Unfortunately he wasn' around a lot," Daryl gripped the steering wheel and gazed ahead at the lit window set in the front door.

"He has Joe's ashes?" Beth slid her fingers over Daryl's knuckles and then between his fingers.

"Ya, he does. I called him shortly after the fight with Merle.. He wanted me ta come here a lot sooner; said he had important stuff ta talk ta me 'bout," Daryl turned off the car with a shaky breath.

"Why didn't you tell me, baby?" Beth furrowed her brows.

"B'cause I knew ya would pester me ta come an' I wasn' ready," Daryl lifted his brows and smirked. "Yer a pain in the ass, ya know," he got out of the car and Beth followed suit with an indignant huff.

He wrapped his arm around her and stole a kiss on the lips. "Yer my pain in the ass," he added and all was forgiven.

Daryl knocked on the oak door and rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at Beth with a slightly nervous look. Beth just rubbed his lower back with a gentle and reassuring smile. "I'm here."

Otis answered the door and he looked pretty much exactly how Beth thought he would – old, small, with few teeth and clad in overalls. But he had a big toothless grin and Beth could tell he was a nice guy from the start.

"Daryl, my boy!" he immediately opened his arms and pulled an unsuspecting Daryl into his embrace.

Daryl stumbled forward with a low chuckle and wrapped his arms around Otis, patting his back while Beth smiled on at the adorable sight of Daryl towering over Otis. "It's been a long time," Daryl cleared his throat and backed up, a faint smile on his lips.

"It sure has. Didn' know if I'd be seein' ya again," Otis sighed and then looked over at Beth. "Well, who's this fine young girl?"

"This is my.. Beth," Daryl mumbled, embarrassed at his slip-up.

"Yer Beth?" Otis looked on in confusion. "A lil' young, ain't she, boy?"

Daryl tensed.

"He meant his friend Beth," Beth smoothed over, reaching her hand out. "So nice to meet you."

Otis shook it and grinned. "If yer alright with Daryl then yer alright with me. Why don' y'all come inside?" he motioned with his hand and stepped in.

"Thank ya fer that," Daryl whispered in Beth's ear.

"No problem," Beth replied with a smile. She completely understood Daryl's desire to keep his relationship with Beth under wraps around the dear old man. There were some things that people had a hard time accepting, especially when they came from an older generation. Plus, that night was about Daryl and his dad, not Daryl and his relationship with Beth.

Otis ushered them over to sit on a well-loved couch and sat across from them in an armchair. Beth glanced around at the mounted animal heads that lined the walls and the various paintings of ducks and landscapes.

"Well.. I know this is a difficult thing fer ya ta talk about, boy," Otis started and put some little spectacles on. "Joe was my friend since we were small boys, an' I think that's why I was able ta stay his friend through all the horrible things he did."

Daryl bit the insides of his cheeks and Beth pressed a little into his side since she couldn't hold his hand without raising eyebrows. "Yeah, I know he wasn' always so terrible.. Er so I've heard. I never got ta experience his good side," Daryl sighed bitterly.

"Ya know.. Joe had a real change o' heart in the last few months b'fore he died. Literally, I suppose," Otis started. "He had a few smaller strokes before the big one. Did ya know that?"

Daryl shook his head slowly, narrowing his eyes. "Was he sick?"

"Well, his heart was. He never admitted it ta ya but he's always had a weak heart. Ever since we were boys. His anger didn' help it, o'course, but I guess he thought it would make him look like less o' a man if he admitted to his weakness," Otis explained.

It was strange hearing about Joe in a different light since all Beth had experienced from him were shades of tragedy. But there was always more than one side to a story and everyone had reasons as to why they act the way they do.

"Ya, I never knew that," Daryl mumbled and took a breath, looking up at Otis. "But that don' give him an excuse fer how he treated me an' my mom."

"No, it don'," Otis shook his head. "I guess 'm jus' tryin' ta explain that yer father was the way he was b'cause he let the bad in an' allowed it be his influence. Ya see, his own father was abusive. He saw Joe's heart defect as a weakness in every aspect an' never treated him the same as his brothers. He felt very much the same 'bout his father as ya do about him," Otis nodded wisely.

Daryl chewed on his thumbnail viscously.

"Ya know that sayin' 'the apple don' fall far from the tree'? Joe became his father. Instead o' taking the high road, he let the bad in his life overtake the good. I can tell ya somethin' right now, Daryl, ya ain't like that. I can see that ya chose the good," Otis gave Daryl a knowing smile and then glanced at Beth.

They didn't comment on it but it was sort of understood that Otis knew more than he was letting on. "Anyway, as I was sayin' ta begin with.. When Joe started gettin' weaker a few months b'fore he passed away, he really grieved fer how he treated ya. He was broken up beyond consolation."

"Look, if yer trying ta make me feel bad fer him it ain't goin' ta happen," Daryl shook his head adamantly, a frown on his face.

"I'm jus' tellin' ya the facts, son," Otis said gently. "Now don' go gettin' heated, jus' listen," he pressed in a stern but caring voice and Daryl rolled his lips in. "He had no way o' reachin' ya er yer brother, an' he knew ya wouldn' want ta talk ta him anyway. So, he wrote ya a letter," Otis pulled an envelope out from a stack of papers. "I haven' read it.. But I have a pretty good idea o' what it says," he held the envelope out and Daryl just stared at it blankly. Beth took it after a moment to save Otis from an arm cramp.

Daryl's eyes followed the envelope, his lips slightly parted. Beth and Otis both watched him curiously, keeping silent and waiting for him to respond. "Are ya sure it ain't jus' debt er somethin' that he's passin' onto me?"

"I'm quite sure," Otis nodded. "Joe had no debt ta speak o'."

Daryl took the envelope into his hands so carefully, as if it might burn him. He stared down at his name scrawled on the front. "I jus' find it a little hard ta believe that he'd take the time ta do anythin' nice fer me."

"One o' life's hardest lessons ta learn is that people can change, Daryl. Sometimes fer the worse, but a lot times fer the better," Otis' lips turned up into a gentle smile. "Now, it's late an' I'm an ol' man. Y'all git goin' an' if ya do decide ta read the letter, let me know. I'll hold onto Joe's ashes until then."

Daryl looked up at his old friend curiously. "Ya sure ya don' want me ta take them off yer hands now?"

"I don' think ya really want ta have ta deal with them right now, do ya?" Otis said wisely and Beth thought for a moment that he was like Yoda; very small and full of wisdom.

"No, I don'," He admitted and stood up tiredly, shoving the envelope into his back pocket. "Thank ya fer lettin' us come an'... Well, fer always bein' there fer me when ya could be," He patted Otis' shoulder. "I'm sorry I didn' keep in touch."

"I don't blame ya, my boy. But maybe ya can call me every once in a while an' let me know what's goin' on in the big city. I don' git out much but ta hunt an' go around town an' it'd be nice ta hear about somethin' new," he smiled kindly at Beth, his skin wrinkling a little more with the gesture.

"I'll make sure he calls you," Beth spoke up. "I'm really glad to have met you," Beth extended her hand again for a farewell shake, smiling warmly.

"Y'all drive safely!" Otis waved from his spot on the porch while Beth and Daryl went to the car.

Daryl was quiet in the car and Beth made extra sure to not bring up the letter because she knew that that had to be done on Daryl's time and not her own. Even though she was madly curious about its contents, it wasn't her place to uncover them. So she just held Daryl's hand and let Daryl squeeze hers so tight in return.

"Do ya mind makin' one more stop with me?" Daryl asked without taking his eyes off the road.

"I don't mind," Beth shook her head gently, glancing at Daryl.

"Thank ya.." He cleared his throat and brought Beth's hand up to his chest, holding it there as he took a few turns that led them to an even gloomier area of the country.

Beth bit her lip, looking out the window as gravestones started to appear behind an iron fence. Realization of what they were doing hit Beth hard as she felt Daryl's heart speed up beneath her hand.

Beth moved her gaze to Daryl, studying the way his face showed subtle emotion when he parked the car. "Do you want me to wait here?" Beth asked in a soft voice.

Daryl shook his head, looking at Beth with a sad smile. "I want ya ta meet my mom."

Beth returned the smile, nodding her head. "I would love ta."

He wrapped his arm around Beth's waist while they walked over the uneven ground. Beth had always been incredibly creeped out by cemeteries. But this one just had a feeling of peace, and Beth didn't know if it was because she was with Daryl or if because she'd just never been to one for the purpose of visiting a loved one.

They stopped in front of a grave that said Delores Dixon and had her day of birth and day of death. Engraved in the bottom of the stone was, The most loving mother.

"I made sure it said that," Daryl murmured when he noticed Beth reading it. "I gathered up all the cash I could find an' made a deal with the man who makes headstones in town. I fixed up his car ta pay the difference. Joe wasn' even goin' ta have a gravestone made fer her. He said it was a waste o' money," Daryl swallowed thickly before kneeling down in front of the grave.

Beth stayed quiet and knelt beside him, her arm wrapping around Daryl's shoulders. "Her name is beautiful."

"She was beautiful in every way," He smiled faintly. "I don' really let myself think 'bout her much. But when I do it's always o' her smile, er the way she hugged an' kissed me when I got hurt er was scared, an' her scent. Little things that I took fer granted at the time b'cause it ain't ever occurred ta me that I'd be without them," Daryl closed his eyes and a teardrop slid down his face.

Beth's heart clenched for Daryl. She could comfort her boyfriend and be there for him, but nothing she could say or do would ever bring Daryl's mother back. "She sounds amazing, Daryl. I'm so glad you got to be with her as long as you could."

He slowly opened his eyes and sniffed, licking the tear off his lips. "I haven' been here in many years.. It hurt too much ta come. 'specially when I knew I was doin' things that she wouldn' approve o'."

"Daryl, she knew you were just trying to make a better life for yourself, I know it," Beth nodded and put her chin on Daryl's shoulder.

"I wish I had flowers er somethin' for her," He shook his head and breathed out shakily.

"Just you coming here is enough. We can bring flowers another time and as often as you want," Beth whispered and turned her head to face the grave, noting how the moonlight seemed to shine down right on her grave and leave the others in darkness.

"I thought maybe comin' here t'night would help me know whether er not I should read Joe's letter. Like maybe I would feel somethin', anythin' from her. She always gave me the best advice b'fore.. I need her so much, Beth," Daryl closed his eyes tight and tilted his head down, his voice broken up.

A few tears streamed down Beth's face and she wrapped her arms tight around Daryl, pressing her lips to his cheek and whispering, "I think she can hear you. Talk to her." Beth didn't know if she really believed that, but having a little faith couldn't hurt.

Daryl slowly looked back at her name carved into the stone, biting his lip and glancing to Beth. "Promise ya won' tease me fer  
talkin' ta a stone?"

"You're talking to your mother...not a stone," Beth shook her head, rubbing Daryl's back.

Daryl breathed in and out slowly, fiddling with his fingers as he began to speak. "Momma.." he let out a breathless chuckle. "This feels so stupid," he sighed. "Momma, 'm really at a loss 'bout what ta do here.. 'm happier than I have been in so long but 'm strugglin' a lot. I wish ya could be here ta tell me what I should do. I wanna know if ya think I should read dad's letter.. I jus' need ta know if it would help er hurt me.."

Beth listened to Daryl speak and held her breath at the silence that followed. She had never really hoped for a miracle before, but she wished so hard that Daryl would find his answer. She was startled by a bird chirping on the gravestone next to them. Beth looked over at it, noticing it was a little Bluebird with vibrantly colored feathers. She thought it was a little odd for it to be there at night.

The bird hopped over and flew to the top of Delores's headstone, perching there for several seconds. Beth watched it with interest while it tilted its head and looked toward Daryl. "That's a really pretty bird," Beth observed as it ruffled its feathers before flying off.

"Blue was her favorite color an' the color o' her eyes," Daryl whispered after a moment.

Beth blinked and looked over at Daryl, noticing the sadness was gone from his face and it had left an expression of peace."What do you think it meant?" Beth asked softly.

"I jus' feel like everythin' is goin' ta be okay.. I really do," a slow smile spread on Daryl's face. "Come on, let's go. It's late," Daryl stood up, helping Beth with an offer of his hand. "I love ya, mom," Daryl whispered toward her grave before they headed to the car.

Because Beth believed in Daryl, she could believe that Daryl's mother had sent him a little sign of comfort.

When they got back to Beth's place, Daryl went straight to Beth's room and Maggie was camped out on the couch with that Asain boy, Glenn she had met from the club when Beth had first seen Daryl fight. Beth smirked in her general direction and Maggie flipped her off. 'Glenn' excused himself to the bathroom and Maggie looked at her baby sister.

"Well, we're going out so you have the apartment to yourselves. He wants to go get late night nachos at Taco Bell. Can you believe how lucky I am?" Maggie wiggled her eyebrows and Beth rolled her eyes as she pondered if Maggie was more excited about the man or the nachos.

"Happy for you. Have fun," Beth grinned genuinely and tilted her head in amusement.

"Thanks. I'm really happy!" She pulled Beth in for a surprise hug and Beth reciprocated but patted Maggie's back after moment to end it. "Don't you dare tap out on a hug, Beth. Don't you dare," Maggie shook her head and squeezed Beth tighter.

Beth laid down on her side of the bed on her stomach after brushing her teeth and washing her face and leaving Daryl with a few more minutes of contemplative peace. Daryl was already in bed and had his back turned toward Beth. Beth frowned and scooted close to wrap her arm around him from behind, pressing a few kisses to the back of his neck.

"What are you thinking about?" Beth whispered softly, knowing it was a loaded question.

Daryl sighed and put his hand on Beth's arm, rubbing it up and down. "'bout how sometimes ya never really know a person. I never knew there was another part ta my dad."

Beth closed her eyes and pressed her body tighter against Daryls. "Your dad never showed you any semblance of a good side. You're not at fault for not knowing him any other way."

"I know, I know.. Jus' all my life people kept things from me an' lied ta me. After tonight, I do feel like everythin' is goin' ta work out, but I still have ta make big decisions an' It's hard ta know what's real er not."

"Daryl, how you handle what life gives you is real and that's all that matters," Beth pulled gently on Daryl's arm. "Look at me."

He slowly turned to face Beth, sighing and gazing over her features before whispering, "yer real."

"We're real," Beth brushed her nose over Daryl's and kissed his lips.

He hummed softly. "Do ya think I should read the letter?"

"I think you should do whatever will make you feel like you have some closure. Whether that be burning the letter or reading it. I've got your back either way," Beth smiled lightly.

"I think I should read it," Daryl whispered after a moment. "I wanna read it now."

Beth blinked in surprise, not expecting Daryl to be able to handle more emotions in one night. "Now? Then do you want me to give you some privacy?"

"No," Daryl closed his eyes and shook his head. "I need ya here," he said lowly and sat up in bed, flipping the lamp on and reaching down to grab the letter from its place in the pocket of his discarded jeans.

Beth slowly scooted up into a sitting position, her legs bending under the rumpled sheets while she slid her fingers through her hair, watching Daryl with interest.

Daryl tore open the top of the envelope, reaching into it with a shaky hand and unfolding the piece of paper with a gulp. "I wanna read it out loud.. Is that okay?"

"Of course," Beth scooted closer and kissed Daryl's bare shoulder, nodding.

"Daryl.." he began reading, clearing his throat at the strangeness of his father calling him by his actual name instead of an insult. "I know this apology is comin' way too late ta mean anythin' an' will never make up fer what I put ya through. There are jus' a few things that I couldn' die b'fore lettin' ya know. I'm not goin' ta lie ta ya an' tell ya that I always secretly loved ya, b'cause I don' think I ever did," He paused and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Beth whispered and pressed her forehead to Daryl's cheek, her heart breaking at the blunt delivery of those hurtful words.

Daryl took a deep breath and continued on, even though his voice faltered a bit. "But Daryl, I do want ya ta know that I respect ya so damn much. Ya were given shitty situation o' a life an' I know I was the cause o' much o' that. The way ya defended yerself an' yer mother, it really showed the good in ya that ya had ta have gotten from yer mom, unlike Merle. I need ya ta know that I did love her at one time. But her goodness jus' amplified my shortcomins' an' reinforced the bitterness an' anger that I had in me. It wasn' her fault, it was mine fer lettin' it git so out o' control," He stopped and huffed. "O' course he's makin' excuses fer himself and his behavior."

"Baby, just keep reading," Beth urged gently and rubbed Daryl's arm.

Daryl wet his lips and went on with a sigh, "I'm not asking fer yer forgiveness an' I know there's no way I can ever make it up ta ya...But I hope this will help ya lead a better life from now on an' keep ya away from what ya were doin' ta make money. I know ya hardly consider me a father, but I do still care about where ya end up. Believe it er not. I'm leavin' ya everythin' I've got," Daryl's voice went uneven in shock. "The repair shop an' all my assets. I invested in some stocks 20 years ago that are worth a lot. I never cashed in on them b'cause I was worried that people would hit me up fer money if they knew I had it. It's yers though, ta do whatever ya want with. Maybe ya could take over the shop and make it into what it could have been without a drunk fer the owner. Ya were the one who made the shop what it was, anyway."

Daryl took a deep breath, still in disbelief. "Fer what it's worth, which could be nothin', I am sorry. I am so full o' regret fer the person I am. I wish I could say if I could go back I'd be different, I'd be good. But truth is, if I could back in time I'd tell yer mom ta run like hell away from me as soon as she had ya. I was destined ta turn into this, but not you Daryl. Start a new life an' never let some asshole ruin it again. Take care an' good luck. -Joe."

Silence hung in the air while Beth was left speechless and Daryl stared at the letter in his shaking hands. Neither of them had expected that product and it was both unsurprising and shocking what Joe had said. He was honest and he didn't try to sugarcoat anything, but he finally, for the first time did a good thing for Daryl.

"I.." He finally spoke and folded the letter carefully. "I don' even fuckin' know what ta say."

"Neither do I.." Beth added in a breathless voice. "Maybe you should sleep on it and then give more thought to everything," Beth suggested, feeling rather helpless.

He pursed his lips and set the letter gingerly on the nightstand, shaking his head. "I'd rather talk it out now.. If ya don' mind? I know it's late.." Daryl spoke apologetically.

"Don't worry, I'm not tired," Beth lied for the greater good. "Talk to me."

"Thank ya," He smiled tightly. "Jus'.. The defiant part o' me wants ta say that I don' need anythin' from him. That he can shove his money up his ass, really," Daryl puffed his cheeks. "But then there's this new part o' me that actually.. Kind o' understands him. Not a lot, jus' a little, an' I never thought I would."

Beth nodded slowly. "He never gave you a chance to understand him before."

"I don' forgive him, Beth. But he didn' expect me ta er ask fer me ta...I guess that kind o' changes things," Daryl rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Well, and he knew he was going to die.. So it's not like he decided to give you all of this with the expectation of anything in return. Right?" Beth added carefully.

"Which is totally unlike him. He never did anythin' that didn' directly benefit him, much like Merle," Daryl chewed on a nail.

"Maybe Otis was right and Joe really did have a change of heart," Beth rested his chin on Daryl's shoulder.

"Do ya really think someone can change so drastically?" Daryl asked in a quiet voice.

"I think they can if they really want to or if a situation forces them to," Beth answered equally quietly.

"Does that mean that I could turn into Joe one day?" Daryl questioned in a wavering voice.

"No, there's no way," Beth shook her head, rubbing her nose against Daryl's cheek.

"I can be such an asshole though, Beth.." he sighed and closed his eyes.

"So? I can too. Besides, you can control who you become and I know you won't let yourself become your dad. You're too clever and kind for that," Beth assured him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Yer jus' biased b'cause ya love me," Daryl smiled lightly and rested his head against Beth's.

"But I didn't at first, eh?" Beth smiled back. "You were so mean when I met you, but I knew deep down you were good. There was always something about you."

"Maybe ya jus' thought I was sexy," Daryl teased, the mood starting to lighten.

"Well there was that, for sure. But I inexplicably wanted to be around you. You had a pull on me," Beth murmured. "And I don't like to stick around bad people, so I know you're not one."

"Thank ya.." Daryl nosed her cheek.

"Sure," Beth smiled and laid down, tugging Daryl with her. "What do you think you'll do with your dad's shop?"

"I can' work there, not with all the painful memories that are left behind.." Daryl twisted his lips. "But, I did always like workin' on cars," he admitted. "It was the only time that my dad wasn' raggin' on me an' I could jus' zone out an' do my thing. I liked the way every piece fit together an' made the car work. There were no surprises under the hood and no disappointments when I put my all into fixin' a problem. Very unlike my life, an' I guess that's why I liked it."

Beth listened carefully at how Daryl's words made such perfect sense. "Maybe.." Beth bit her lip, pondering. "Maybe you could sell his shop and start your own closer to the city. Fresh start with skills you already have nailed down. What do you think?"

"I think it'd be a hell o' a lot o' work," He grimaced a little. "But I think it would fuckin' amazin'," a slow grin spread on his face.

"Yeah?" Beth propped up on an elbow, smiling.

"Ya.. I can make an honest livin' and I don' have worry 'bout applyin' fer more jobs an' seein' people raise their eyebrows at my lack o' experience with work. I can' exactly write that I was a fighter fer a profession," He said dryly.

"No, you can't. I'm lucky I got to use my experience to my benefit with my paper," Beth admitted, a smile still on her face.

"I'll call Otis tomorrow an' figure out the legal dealins' an' paperwork," Daryl sighed with a soft nod.

"This is gonna be great. I'll be your first customer since my car is a hunk of junk." Beth said enthusiastically.

He laughed and rested his hand on Beth's hip, rubbing his thumb over her hipbone. "Hmm, are ya sure y'all be able ta afford my work though?"

"It depends on how much you're charging, brat," Beth answered with a playful poke to Daryl's chest.

"Well.. Yer payment would involve this," He pressed his lips to Beth's in a soft kiss. "An' maybe a blow job," Daryl cracked a dazzling grin and Beth laughed.

"You always want me to suck your dick," Beth rolled her eyes but was happy to see Daryl getting back to his normal pervy self.

"How could I not? Yer amazin' at it. Yer mouth was made fer that, I swear," He bit down on his grin.

Beth glared at him. "You think my mouth was made to suck dicks?"

"Nah, it was made ta suck mine. Jus' mine, Beth," Daryl murmured and Beth closed her eyes.

"I have no idea how you make something so demeaning sound so sweet. Damn you," Beth kissed Daryl with parted lips, their tongues tangling for a brief lazy moment.

"I love ya," Daryl said simply.

"I love you.." Beth whispered tiredly. "And I will give you a blow job if you fix my car."

"That's what 'm talkin' 'bout," Daryl chuckled, wrapping Beth up in his arms. "But ya should definitely kiss me a little bit now b'fore we go ta sleep," He murmured, his lips puckering up.

"I think you deserve a few kisses, yes," Beth whispered and brushed her tongue over Daryl's lips before kissing them softly.

"Mmm, that's the good stuff," He smiled into the kiss and slid his strong fingers through Beth's hair while he connected their lips again.

Daryl had found his way to let go of the past and their future was looking pretty fucking bright.


	28. Epilogue

**THANK YOU EVERYBODY! Seriously, this story wouldn't have made it without everybody's support and love :) I wish I could thank each and every one of you personally with a hug and a bottle of wine! Haha. :) Im shocked to see how much feedback this story got. :) I really do appreciate it :) I couldn't of done it without you guys! But! The story doesn't end here! The sequel to this story will be called 'Spawn'. remember that! I will hopefully have the first chapter tithe sequel up tonight, possibly in the morning :) this epilogue is relatively short, just a peek as to what is to come! hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year, and again, thank you all from the bottom of my heart :) Love you all! **

"You can't keep doing this, Beth."

"I'm fine, Maggie."

"Well obviously you're not okay. This is the fifth night in a row you've been sick."

Beth spit into the toilet, wiping the corners of her mouth. Her head ached painfully; a dull throb in the back of her head. She clenched her stomach and felt the urge to vomit again. "Oh God..."

Maggie closed her eyes in distaste as she heard the contents of Beth's stomach hit the water in the porcelain bowl. Sighing, she placed a cold washcloth on the back of her sisters neck. "You need to go to the doctor."

Beth shook her head. She knew now was not the time to be stubborn, but she hated the doctors. Something about the disgustingly white walls and the smell of cleaner made her grimace.

Noting her sisters refusal, she huffed. "What has Daryl said about it?"

Beth looked at her sister sheepishly. "Well..."

"You haven't told him?! Beth! You've been puking your guts out for the past week, and he still doesn't know?!"

The younger girl shook her head, tears pricking at her eyes. "He already has enough to worry about with the plans of the new shop. The last thing he needs is to worry about his girlfriend having a stomach bug."

It had been five months since Daryl read the note from his deceased father, and things were finally looking up for the troubled man. After taking full ownership of the shop, he set up the blueprints for a brand new building where the new shop would be built; the old shop would be torn down. Luckily, the stocks and bonds his father had stashed away had ended up being worth around $250,000. Needless to say, Daryl was elated. Though Beth was happy for her boyfriend, she missed him like something awful. He had been gone for almost two weeks now, making sure the build of the new shop went exactly as planned. Daryl made sure to keep contact with Beth, calling her every other hour or so. Beth hated to say it, but she was becoming that clingy girlfriend that she promised she wouldn't be.

"It's not a stomach bug..."

"I'm fine."

Maggie shook her head, flushing the toilet for her weak sister. "You know what? If it happens again, I'm taking you straight to the doctor. No ifs, ands, or buts. Got it?"

All Beth could do was nod.

_Four hours later..._

Beth sat in the waiting room, arms crossed and a small pout on her face.

"I don't want to be here anymore than you do, but shit happens."

The younger girl threw her sister a glare. "I hate this place. Makes me wanna puke all over again."

An amused smirk graced Maggie's lips. "Well, if you do start blowing chunks everywhere, avoid my shoes." She wiggled her feet. "These are my nice slippers."

"Beth Greene?"

Beth tensed at her name being called back into the examining rooms. She really didn't want to be here. With one last pleading glance at Maggie, she cursed and followed the nurse.

"Have fun! I'll be right here." Beth heard her sister chuckle.

...

"So, what seems to be the problem, Ms. Greene?"

Beth fought back a roll of her eyes. "I've just been sick. A lot of vomiting. It's just a stomach bug, or even food poisoning. Maggie's cooking is atrocious." She giggled.

The doctor chuckled. "Well, why don't we see what's going on? Say 'ahh'."

Feeling like a little kid getting their first check up, she stuck out her tongue, grimacing as the bitter wood made contact with her tongue. "Throat looks good." He took the depressor out and proceeded with checking her ears, nose, lymph nodes, temperature, and blood pressure.

Dr. Dale looked puzzled. "Other than your blood pressure being a bit elevated, I don't see anything else that would trigger or lead up to the vomiting spells you are having." He rubbed his beard. "So what I'm going to have you do is take a urine sample. Just to make sure you everything is okay. Sounds good?"

Beth huffed, but nodded. She just wanted to leave, call Daryl, and sleep.

Fifteen antagonizing minutes later, Dr. Dale had returned with various papers and a grin. Beth was anxious. She knew it was probably just a virus of some sorts, the urine test would come back negative for any kind of illnesses, and she would be able to go home.

With a clap of his hands, Dale turned to her. "I have some very good news!"

Beth breathed a sigh of relief. She knew nothing was wrong with her. Maggie would be slapped for wasting her time. "Well?"

"You're pregnant!"


	29. Authors Note on Sequel

**Hey everybody! I sincerely do apologize for the delay on the sequel to 'Rough' but I have been in the hospital and had back surgery that was completely unplanned. So please bare with me the next few days, I promise to have the new story up soon! Thank you so much for understanding and hanging in there with me! I'm expecting the sequel to be posted this weekend. **

**Again, my sincerest apologies**

**•Courtney**


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